As tensions between Washington and Beijing intensify, former President Donald Trump is once again pushing for a sweeping deal on TikTok—one that would drastically reshape the app’s operations in the U.S. and reassert American control over foreign-owned digital platforms. Trump, long a vocal critic of Chinese tech influence, has renewed calls for either a forced sale or a binding restructuring agreement that would place TikTok’s U.S. user data and algorithms under domestic oversight.
“We cannot allow the Chinese Communist Party to control the most downloaded app in America,” Trump said during a recent rally. “It’s about national security, data protection, and protecting our children from foreign propaganda.” His comments come amid mounting concerns over China’s growing cyber influence, the use of TikTok’s algorithm to push politically sensitive content, and fears that user data could be accessed by the Chinese government.
Sources close to the negotiations suggest that Trump is pushing for a deal framework in which TikTok would be required to divest its U.S. operations to a Donald Trump News fully American-controlled entity—possibly involving a partnership with major U.S. tech firms. The proposed deal would also mandate U.S.-based data storage, strict algorithm transparency, and board oversight by American executives.