On Friday, President Donald Trump expressed his admiration for the late Charlie Kirk and unveiled a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping that will keep TikTok operational in the U.S.
While addressing reporters in the Oval Office, Trump revealed that he had spoken with Jinping that morning and had reached an agreement allowing American users to access the platform by transferring part of its ownership to U.S. business leaders.
He highlighted his intention to make the platform accessible not just to Chinese officials, but also to American youth and conservative leaders as well.
“TikTok’s trading is on track,” Trump stated.
Many believe Charlie Kirk played a significant role in helping Trump connect with young voters.
He recognized TikTok’s appeal among American youth and mentioned that Kirk had promoted its use for engagement.
“Charlie had a remarkable advantage with TikTok. He was a supporter of it,” Trump remarked. “He encouraged people to use it.”
Trump commended Kirk for leveraging social media platforms like TikTok to attract a considerable number of young voters to him and the Republican Party in 2024.
“If you look at my numbers, no Republicans have ever achieved such results. We’ve attracted a huge number of young people, and Charlie Kirk has been a tremendous asset,” he noted.
Trump also addressed the potential ban on TikTok in the U.S., a move that had been on the table after the passing of a law in Congress in 2024, unless ownership was shifted from China to U.S. interests.
After discussions with Jinping, Trump stated that TikTok’s U.S. operations would be “managed by very strong, very important Americans.” He emphasized the significance of this deal for the country and for American youth.
Trump admitted he had initially opposed TikTok, saying, “I wasn’t a fan, but I had to use it. Eventually, I became a supporter, and it helped me win the election decisively.”
He mentioned, “I had a productive call with President Xi. We’ve approved the TikTok deal and are moving forward with great investors from the U.S.”
When pressed on whether the deal is fully finalized, Trump replied, “I think so. But, when you say fully approved, I’m not entirely sure what that means. I believe we will need to sign it.” He added that China wanted to review the arrangements first.
