IMHO: ByteDance has played the incoming president and made him lose face while they could keep their chin up (which is important in Chinese culture, as far as I have learned). Instead of a ban and a full ownership transfer, Trump now offers to sign away the ban and the demand for full ownership by an US company- Instead he more or less begs them to come to the table and work on a 50/50 split. Well played, ByteDance, well played. And now the infighting amongst republicans and MAGAs can begin :)