The future of TikTok in the United States is moving toward resolution as former President Donald Trump confirmed that media moguls Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch may be part of the investor group taking control of the app’s U.S. operations.
Murdoch Family’s Possible Role
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said Lachlan Murdoch is “involved” in the deal and suggested that his father, Rupert Murdoch, could also join. While it remains unclear if their participation would be personal or through Fox Corporation—which owns Fox News and is led by Lachlan Murdoch as CEO—reports from Deadline suggest Fox is in active discussions to join the consortium.
Who Else Is Involved in the Deal?
Trump also indicated that Oracle’s executive chairman Larry Ellison and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell are likely to participate. According to Bloomberg, other investors expected to join include:
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Oracle (expected to lead TikTok’s U.S. security and safety framework)
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Andreessen Horowitz (venture capital firm)
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Silver Lake Management (private equity firm)
Under the terms, ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, is expected to retain less than 20% of the new U.S. entity.
Structure of the Agreement
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that an agreement has been reached in principle, though not yet signed. She disclosed that:
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U.S. representatives would control six out of seven board seats
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TikTok’s algorithm would be overseen in the U.S.
“All of those details have already been agreed upon. Now we just need this deal to be signed, which I anticipate happening in the coming days,” Leavitt said.
Political and Geopolitical Context
The restructuring follows a federal bill mandating a ban on TikTok unless ByteDance divests its U.S. operations. The app was briefly unavailable in the U.S. earlier this year until Trump extended deadlines for a sale.
Adding a geopolitical dimension, Trump revealed he spoke directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who gave approval for the restructuring.
TikTok issued a statement thanking both Xi and Trump “for their efforts to preserve TikTok in the United States,” adding that ByteDance will comply with applicable laws to ensure TikTok remains available for American users.
What the Deal Means for TikTok
If finalized, the agreement will reshape the ownership of one of the world’s most influential social media platforms. It could ease U.S. national security concerns while allowing ByteDance to maintain a minority stake, securing TikTok’s future in its largest foreign market.
