CHEQUERS: US President Donald Trump confirmed he will speak with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday regarding a deal to transfer ownership of the popular video-sharing app TikTok.
Trump has repeatedly delayed a ban against TikTok under legislation designed to force its sale from Chinese parent company ByteDance due to national security concerns.
The president announced a potential deal earlier this week and confirmed his upcoming discussion with Xi.
“We’re speaking to President Xi on Friday to see if we can finalise something on TikTok, because there is tremendous value,“ Trump stated during a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Under the proposed arrangement, TikTok would be “owned by all American investors, and very rich people and companies” according to Trump.
“Very, very straight, very legitimate companies and really companies that love America, so they’re going to be owning it,“ he elaborated.
Trump added that he believes TikTok has increased his appeal among younger voters, contributing to his 2024 election victory.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the enforcement delay on the TikTok ban for the fourth time.
Republican Trump’s Democratic predecessor Joe Biden signed the 2024 law mandating TikTok’s closure.
The legislation was created to address national security concerns regarding the app’s Chinese ownership. – AFP
