The United States and China have reached a “framework” deal on TikTok, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who confirmed the development on the sidelines of bilateral economic talks in Madrid on Monday. CNBC first reported the news.
Related: TikTok Adds Voice Notes and Media Sharing to DMs in Messaging Expansion
“It’s between two private parties, but the commercial terms have been agreed upon,” Bessent said, without disclosing full details.
The announcement came less than an hour after U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on Truth Social that a deal involving TikTok had been secured. “A deal was also reached on a ‘certain’ company that young people in our Country very much wanted to save,” Trump wrote, adding that he plans to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.
The timing is crucial: the U.S. faces a September 17 ban deadline for TikTok, marking the fourth such deadline since January. The Biden-era law initially banned the platform on January 19, but Trump has issued multiple executive orders to keep the app available while negotiations continue.
Earlier on Monday, Reuters reported that Washington was prepared to enforce a full ban unless Beijing withdrew demands related to tariff reductions and technology restrictions.
TikTok’s future in the U.S. has been hanging in the balance for months, but the framework deal signals a potential breakthrough that could safeguard the platform’s presence for its millions of American users.
