The potential use of TikTok by the Chinese government and Communist Party to propagandize American citizens and jeopardize American security has been an ongoing issue for years, including during both the first Trump administration and the Biden administration. 

As a result of concerns, TikTok has been ordered to sell its U.S. operations to an American company or face being banned from the U.S. market. 

Such a ban would have been devastating to the tens of millions of Americans who use TikTok daily, and even prefer it, over its American competitors, including YouTube and Instagram.

Now, however, with the deadline for the ban fast approaching, the Trump Administration has reached a deal on a transfer of ownership with China.

According to the Associated Press, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that a deal on the platform had been reached during trade talks in Madrid. 

"Bessent said in a press conference after the latest round of trade talks between the world’s top two economies concluded in Madrid that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping would speak Friday to possibly finalize the deal," the Associated Press reported. "He said the objective of the deal would be to switch to U.S. ownership."

On the Chinese side, Li Chenggang, China's international trade representative, noted that discussions between the two sides on TikTok had been "candid" and "in-depth" and he noted that both countries had come to a "basic framework consensus" on the issue.

According to Statista, TikTok was the fifth most popular social media platform in the world as of February 2025. Facebook remained the most popular platform overall, with YouTube coming in at second place, followed by Instagram and WhatsApp.