According to reports from Epoch Times on July 5, 2025, President Trump announced on Friday (July 4) that negotiations with China over the sale of the overseas version of Chinese short video platform TikTok, known as Douyin in China, will begin next week.
President Trump stated that the United States is “very close” to reaching a deal regarding TikTok’s sale.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, President Trump said, “I think we are going to have a deal with China probably over the coming days, starting on Monday or Tuesday, maybe with President Xi or one of his representatives, but we are very close to making a deal.”
When asked about his confidence in reaching this agreement with China, President Trump replied, “I’m not sure, but I think we have a chance to make a deal.” He reiterated that this deal will be beneficial for China and the United States.
Last month, Trump signed an executive order extending the deadline for TikTok to separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to September 17. This marks the third time Trump has extended the deadline for the TikTok deal.
Earlier this spring, TikTok reached an agreement to split its U.S. operations into a new American company majority-owned and operated by American investors. However, after Trump announced imposing hefty tariffs on Chinese goods, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stated that they would not approve the deal, leading to the suspension of the transaction.
In 2024, the U.S. Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok and sell its U.S. operations; otherwise, TikTok could face a ban in the United States.
Lawmakers are concerned that TikTok could be used by the CCP to collect personal information of American users, manipulate public opinion, and even interfere in U.S. elections.
The FBI has previously warned that TikTok poses significant national security risks to the United States and could be a tool for the CCP to penetrate and conduct psychological warfare on American society.