Trump set to speak with China's Xi to finalize TikTok deal
NBC1 day
Trump, Xi Plan Meetings After TikTok Deal Progress Call
Above: Chinese President Xi Jinping (second left) in The Great Hall of People on Sept. 9, 2025, in Beijing, China. Image copyright: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
Trump's bold approach has paid off, forcing China to negotiate. Not only did he save TikTok for Americans, with U.S. companies like Oracle taking 80% control, but he's done so while keeping user data safe on U.S. servers and limiting China's influence. Plus, he's making headway on trade deals and tackling fentanyl trafficking, breaking years of stalemate and boosting the stock market.
Democratic narrative
Trump's so-called TikTok "deal" isn't for America — it's a handout to cronies like Larry Ellison, whose company gets a fat 80% stake to boost his media empire, which already owns Paramount/CBS and is eyeing Warner Bros., CNN and HBO. This creates a pro-Trump propaganda machine, shifting news rightward, killing jobs via mergers, and deepening polarization.
Cynical narrative
The so-called "threat" of TikTok was never just about privacy or even pro-Trump propaganda. It was also about Israel trying to wipe the app clean of content exposing its crimes against Palestinians. It's no wonder that major pro-Israel companies, especially Oracle, which is gobbling up several other media outlets, are being given control of the app once this deal is finished.