Donald Trump got on the phone with Xi Jinping on Friday to wrap up talks about TikTok, but instead of a done deal, the two leaders left the conversation without sealing anything.
A White House official allegedly told CNBC’s Eamon Javers that while the call didn’t lock things in, there was “significant progress” toward an agreement. Problem is, what Trump said and what the Chinese media said after the call didn’t exactly line up.
Trump claimed things were moving in the right direction. “I just completed a very productive call with President Xi of China,” he posted on Truth Social. He listed the topics they covered—trade, fentanyl, the Russia-Ukraine war, and TikTok.
He even called the TikTok issue “approved.” He also dropped that he and Xi would meet in person at the APEC summit in South Korea. Trump added that he plans to visit China early next year, and Xi would come to the U.S. later “at an appropriate time.”
According to Xinhua, the Chinese government’s official readout said nothing about any approval. Instead, it stressed China’s position:
“The Chinese government respects the will of companies and is pleased to see companies conduct business negotiations on the basis of market rules and reach solutions that comply with Chinese laws and regulations and balance interests.”
Xinhua said both sides want to strengthen trade ties and keep discussions going, but made it clear that China expects the U.S. to provide a “fair” and “non-discriminatory” environment for Chinese companies.
Xi avoids deal confirmation, White House leans on optimism
Trump, never one to hold back, said on Tuesday, three days before the call, that a deal on TikTok was already done. “We have a deal on TikTok,” he told reporters, calling the upcoming call with Xi just a chance to “confirm everything up.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent added to that optimism earlier in the week, saying both teams had already built a “framework” for the deal.
That framework is supposed to address a federal law that requires TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to either sell the app’s U.S. business or get kicked out of the country. The law was signed by Joe Biden back in April 2024 and gave ByteDance until January 19 to figure it out.
But once Trump got back into the White House in January 2025, he immediately pushed that deadline back. And he didn’t stop there. He’s signed three more extensions since then. The latest one came last Tuesday, giving ByteDance until December 16.
TikTok still stuck in limbo while Trump pushes delay after delay
While in the U.K. on Thursday, Trump told reporters at Chequers, the British prime minister’s countryside home, “We’re speaking to President Xi on Friday to see if we can finalize something on TikTok because there is tremendous value, and I hate to give away value, but I like TikTok.”
ByteDance is still sitting in the middle of all this with no clear answer. The company has been under pressure for months to spin off its U.S. operations or leave the market.
Lawmakers in both parties have backed the legislation, saying the app could be used by foreign enemies to spy on Americans or push influence campaigns.
Trump, on the other hand, has defended the app repeatedly. He credited TikTok with helping him win the 2024 election and has shown no urgency to shut it down. Instead, he’s repeatedly delayed the law’s enforcement while saying talks with China are moving forward.
For now, though, there’s still no deal.
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