The TikTok ownership saga just got another confusing chapter. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation that somehow managed to make the situation both more hopeful and more uncertain at the same time.
Trump’s social media update mentioned both “making progress” and “appreciating the TikTok approval” – which sounds like political double-speak for “we’re still figuring this out.”
The back-and-forth continues while millions of American users wonder what happens to their favorite app.
Reading Between the Lines of Diplomatic Language
Trump’s Truth Social post covered multiple topics from their conversation, including trade issues, fentanyl, Ukraine, and TikTok’s future ownership.
The confusing signals:
- “Made progress on many very important issues” (suggests ongoing negotiations)
- “Appreciate the TikTok approval” (sounds like it’s settled)
- Plans to meet again at October’s APEC Summit in Korea
Political communications often work this way – say enough to claim success while leaving room for changes later.
TikTok Stays Diplomatic
TikTok’s response played it safe, thanking both leaders while avoiding specifics about timeline or deal structure. Their statement essentially said “we’ll follow the law and keep working on this.”
Not exactly the clarity users were hoping for.
The Deal Everyone’s Waiting For
Here’s what we know about the proposed sale structure:
Expected buyers: Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, and Susquehanna International Group ByteDance’s remaining stake: Just under 20 percent Key requirement: New recommendation algorithm independent from Chinese oversight Timeline: Still anyone’s guess
Congress passed the divest-or-ban law in 2024, giving ByteDance until January 2025 to complete the sale. That deadline has already been pushed back four times.
What Users Should Expect
If you’re scrolling TikTok daily, nothing changes immediately. The app works normally while lawyers and politicians sort out ownership details.
Current reality:
- No service interruptions planned
- Features and updates continue as usual
- Final resolution could take another month or more
- Trade tensions could still complicate everything
The Bigger Picture
This ownership transfer represents one of the largest forced sales in tech history. Both governments want a solution, but coordinating between two superpowers takes time.
The repeated delays suggest the technical and legal complexities exceed what anyone initially anticipated. Creating a TikTok that satisfies US security concerns while maintaining the platform’s appeal requires careful engineering and legal work.
For now, users can keep creating videos while the grown-ups work out who gets to own the playground.