Trump Softens China Rhetoric, Backs TikTok Deal With ByteDance Keeping 19.9% Stake
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 29
Trump Softens China Rhetoric, Backs TikTok Deal With ByteDance Keeping 19.9% Stake
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 29
Summary
Five days after accusing Beijing of "sinister" election meddling, Trump said China is "maybe a little bit different today" and signaled he wants talks rather than dwelling on past interference.
That softer line aligns with his support for a reworked TikTok deal that keeps the app operating in the U.S. under majority American ownership while ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake.
Critics say the security risk remains because ByteDance still controls TikTok's algorithm through a licensing arrangement, even if U.S. user data is stored on American servers.
The shift comes after Trump's May summit with Xi Jinping produced no clear public breakthroughs, with Trump still emphasizing trade ahead of Xi's planned Sept. 24 U.S. visit, where AI is expected to feature.