Posted by Lynette Grajales.
In recent developments, President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to engage in discussions with China to ensure the continued operation of the popular social media app TikTok in the United States despite past concerns over its Chinese ownership. While the Biden administration has pushed for a potential ban or forced sale of TikTok due to national security concerns, Trump has suggested a different approach—negotiating with China to ensure the app’s future while bringing it under some form of U.S. control. He stated, “There’s a lot of people interested in TikTok, and I think we have a chance of doing something good.”
The article explains that Trump’s proposed plan involves allowing TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. under a joint ownership model, where the U.S. would hold a 50% stake in the company. This move is intended to address ongoing concerns that the Chinese government could access American user data through TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance. Trump argued that keeping TikTok alive while placing it under American oversight would be a win-win, saying, “With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars—maybe trillions.” The potential restructuring of TikTok’s ownership raises several questions, including how such a deal would comply with U.S. foreign investment regulations and whether China would even agree to such terms.
TikTok’s uncertain future in the U.S. has been an ongoing legal and business issue, with multiple administrations considering various solutions. The company has repeatedly stated that it operates independently from the Chinese government and has taken measures to store American user data in the U.S. through its partnership with Oracle. However, lawmakers remain concerned about data security risks. The discussions surrounding TikTok challenge the idea of foreign-owned tech companies operating in the U.S. and the government’s role in regulating them.
Lynette is a political science major at Seton Hall University, Class of 2027.
Link:https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/trump-announces-plans-speak-china-keep-tiktok-alive