This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.
Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration says it has agreed on a deal that would let TikTok avoid a US ban.
What’s the context? TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, was supposed to be subject to a nationwide ban starting in January 2025, after a deadline for ByteDance to sell the app — imposed by Congress in 2024 — passed unmet.
Instead, President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders punting on the ban. The latest of those orders, in June, set the new deadline for September 17 — this Wednesday.
What does the deal say? We don’t know yet, though any deal would require the sale of TikTok to a US-based owner. As is often the case under Trump, the announced deal is currently just a “framework,” according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Chinese officials said Monday that the two sides had reached a “basic consensus” on a deal.
Why did the US want to ban TikTok in the first place? Concern about TikTok boils down to a concern about Chinese influence. ByteDance’s close relationship with the Chinese government, coupled with the app’s proprietary content algorithm and vast reach — TikTok has about 170 million American users — mean China could gain access to huge amounts of American data or use TikTok to spread propaganda.
Why does this matter? TikTok’s massive user base in the US means a potential ban is a politically sensitive topic, particularly with young voters who are becoming increasingly electorally important for both parties.
What comes next? It’s still possible Trump pushes the deadline for the ban back further as terms of the deal — if it holds — are finalized. For now, Trump said he is set to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the deal on Friday.
And with that, it’s time to log off…
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: The 2025 World Athletics Championships began over the weekend in Tokyo, Japan, which means nine days of amazing track and field action. But the rest of the schedule is going to have a hard time topping my favorite race of the meet so far, from this morning (East Coast time, at least — Tokyo is 16 hours ahead).
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, where runners jump over four barriers and one water jump per lap for seven and a half laps, New Zealand runner Geordie Beamish took a stunning win over double world champion and double Olympic gold medalist Soufiane El Bakkali. It’s the kind of finish you need to see to believe, and you can watch it here. Have a great evening!
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