US and China Reach a Deal on TikTok

The very existence of TikTok has long been a point of contention inside the United States. The app has been both celebrated for helping small businesses thrive and hated for its harms to mental health and threats to national security. Now, it appears the platform may have found its place, as US and Chinese leaders have reached a tenuous deal on TikTok’s continued operation in the US.

Concerns about TikTok’s safety, its ties to the Chinese government and its handling of Americans’ data have persisted since its introduction. These concerns formally reached Congress way back in 2023. On March 23 of that year, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. While Chew insisted that TikTok operated independently of China’s government, lawmakers remained unconvinced. 

The hearing eventually led to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), passed by Congress in April 2024. The law required ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest from its Chinese ownership or face a total US ban. A deadline was set: January 19, 2025—the day before Donald Trump’s inauguration. On that day, with no divestment upon, TikTok briefly went dark in the United States.

The following day, immediately after his inauguration, President Trump signed an executive order granting ByteDance a 75-day extension to meet the requirements of PAFACA. He also suggested that a negotiated deal could provide an alternative to an outright ban. Over the months that followed, Trump continued to extend the deadline: another 75 days on April 4, then again on June 19 and finally in September, pushing the cutoff to December 19, 2025. 

That uncertainty may be coming to an end. On September 15, 2025, Trump announced that a “framework deal” had been reached between US and Chinese leaders. Just two days earlier, Trump and Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping held a three-hour call, which Trump described as “productive.”

That call has apparently led to a deal over the state of Tiktok. The United States will gain control over TikTok’s closely guarded algorithm, the software that drives user engagement and has been the focal point of criticism.

In addition, TikTok’s US board will consist of seven members, six of whom will be Americans, with only one seat reserved for a Chinese representative. Meanwhile, Oracle, an American software company, will take responsibility for storing and processing TikTok’s US user data. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the administration is “100 percent confident” the deal will be finalized, though she said that the agreement has not yet been signed. Until the official signatures are in place, TikTok’s future remains in a precarious position. 

Extemp Analysis by: Finian Knepper

Question: Why did the US go forward with the TikTok deal?

AGD: Definitely go for Humorous here. It's a tiktok deal, not an international crisis. 

Background: The history of Tikotik is important here, but not as important as what Tiktok means, and the precedent of the sharing of user data across social media apps. You can then add this to what Tiktok means to both Chinese and US officials, which would provide useful context as to how it would impact future relations

Thesis/3 main points: Because it’s in the interest of US politicians

1. Due to increased spread of information

2. Because of Lobbying from the tech sector

3. Due to increased Chinese influence. 

Read more here:

• George Wright, BBC

• Ben Berkowitz, Axios

• Rebecca Feng, Hoover Institute