WASHINGTON – The U.S. and China have established a “framework” for a potential deal regarding TikTok, according to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, as former President Donald Trump indicated he is close to an agreement that could avert a nationwide ban of the popular social media app. The developments signal renewed momentum in resolving national security concerns surrounding TikTokS Chinese ownership while allowing the app to continue operating in the United States.
The potential agreement comes after years of political and legal battles over TikTok, fueled by worries that its parent company, ByteDance, could be compelled to share American user data with the Chinese government.A 2024 law passed by Congress gave TikTok until January 19th to divest from ByteDance or face being removed from U.S. app stores.While TikTok briefly paused access to U.S. users ahead of that deadline, service was restored after Trump signaled he would not enforce the ban.Previously, a deal was reportedly close to fruition in the spring of 2020, aiming to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new, American-owned company with ByteDance retaining a minority stake. Though, then-president Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports ultimately derailed those negotiations. ByteDance at the time disputed that a full agreement had been reached, citing unresolved key issues and emphasizing that any deal would require Chinese government approval.
Despite bipartisan concerns in Congress regarding data security and potential Chinese government access, Trump has repeatedly expressed his support for TikTok due to its popularity among young Americans. Some Republicans have questioned Trump’s legal authority to delay enforcement of the ban,arguing the law should be upheld.
The current “framework,” as described by Raimondo,represents a notable step toward addressing those concerns.Details remain scarce, but the focus is expected to center on data security protocols and autonomous oversight to ensure american user data is protected from access by the Chinese government.
