Two Months After Trump Signs TikTok Executive Order, Senator Markey Demands Answers on Details of the Supposed TikTok Deal

Letter Text (PDF)
Washington (November 24, 2025) - Ahead of the two-month anniversary of President Donald Trump signing an executive order on a supposed TikTok deal, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, wrote a letter to President Trump, requesting a briefing on the status of the TikTok deal within the next two weeks and answers to questions on the terms of the deal. Although the Trump administration has repeatedly declared that it reached an agreement with ByteDance and investors over TikTok, it has released few details about the agreement, leaving TikTok users and creators confused and uncertain about the fate of TikTok.
In the letter, Senator Markey writes, “Although your Administration has repeatedly declared that it reached a TikTok deal with China and financial investors, you have released few details on any agreement. In fact, it’s unclear whether China has even agreed to any TikTok deal. In late October, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared that China had just approved the TikTok deal — even though you said in September that Chinese President Xi Jinping had approved the agreement. Throughout this process, Beijing has never confirmed that it has agreed to a TikTok deal; in fact, after Xi’s meeting with you a few weeks ago, the Chinese government would say only that ‘the Chinese side will work with the U.S. side to properly address issues related to TikTok.’ Given the number of times your Administration has falsely announced a TikTok deal, Americans would be forgiven for thinking that they stumbled into the movie Groundhog Day.”
Senator Markey continues, “This haphazard approach raises serious questions about the future of TikTok and your efforts to address its national security risks to the United States. If TikTok U.S. is licensing the algorithm from ByteDance and retraining it, is this a one-time transfer of the source code or does TikTok U.S. have to renew it at regular intervals? Will any changes to the algorithm by ByteDance affect the algorithm that is licensed to TikTok U.S.? Will ByteDance be providing any ongoing technical support for the licensed algorithm? What does retraining the algorithm on U.S. user data entail? If ByteDance and TikTok U.S. no longer have an operational relationship — as is required under the TikTok ban — why would Oracle need to closely monitor the algorithm and U.S. user data? Moreover, has China even agreed to this deal? I could go on.”
Senator Markey requests a briefing on the deal within the next two weeks along with the following information by December 8, 2025:
In July 2025, Senator Markeyreleaseda discussion draft of legislation, called the TikTok Transparency and Data Security Act, that would address the national security risks posed by ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok without banning an application. In March 2025, Senator Markey, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chris Van Hollen D-Md.), sent aletterto President Donald Trump, requesting additional information on any efforts to keep TikTok online in the United States and urging the Administration to work with Congress on any potential resolutions to the TikTok ban. President Trump has not answered Senator Markey’s letter. On April 9, 2025, Senator Markey asked for unanimous consent to pass hisExtend the TikTok Deadline Acton the Senate floor. Senate Republicansblockedit.
On January 16, 2025, Senator Markey, along with Senators Booker (D-N.J.) and Van Hollen (D-Md.), sent aletterto President Joe Biden urging him to trigger the 90-day extension in theProtection Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Actto allow ByteDance additional time to divest from TikTok. On January 15, 2025, Senators Markey, Booker, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Congressman Khanna (CA-17) introduced theExtend the TikTok Deadline Act,legislation that would delay the January 19 deadline by which ByteDance must sell TikTok or face a ban, by an additional 270 days.
In December 2024, Senators Markey and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), along with Congressman Khanna, submitted abipartisan, bicameral amicus briefurging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the D.C. Circuit Court's decision inTikTok Inc. v. Garland, which upheld the TikTok ban established under theProtecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.On December 19, Senators Markey and Paul sent aletterto President Joe Biden urging him to provide TikTok owner ByteDance with a 90-day extension to either sell TikTok or face the ban.
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