Maybe not today — as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have just had an important phone call. Their goal was to reach an enough-enough deal that would prevent the Trump administration from banning TikTok in the US. The conversation started bright and early at 8 a.m. ET. This timing helped emphasize the urgency that was apparently fueling the negotiations between the two leaders of the world’s largest economies.
Just on Monday, Washington and Beijing reached a preliminary agreement for TikTok. This popular short-video social media platform—which had actually been slated for shutdown in the U.S.—privately, over supposed national security concerns—now operates under new ownership. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the framework’s approval, underscoring the importance of this development in maintaining TikTok’s operations in the country.
The most recent round of negotiations was held in Madrid. Delegates from both countries put in tremendous effort to work out the finer points of the agreement. The call between Trump and Xi received plenty of ink. Neither leader could afford to overlook the huge economic stakes tied up in TikTok’s future. CNBC covered the event, noting the importance of this negotiation in the context of escalating competition between the U.S. and China.
Even as the meeting proceeded, Trump and Xi were both looking to find areas of agreement. Specifically, they were more concerned with meeting regulatory requirements and TikTok staying in business. American officials placed unprecedented pressure on the platform. They threatened to ban it outright unless the company took drastic measures to bolster privacy and security.
Dan Kitwood, Nicholas Kamm, and AFP offered incredible access, giving us a visual look inside this high-stakes meeting. Getty Images provided arresting photos that helped convey the seriousness of the crisis. Though today’s call is ostensibly about TikTok, its outcome could have implications on the app’s fate and the overall state of US-China relations for years to come.