Trump has named Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, and media executives Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch as part of a group seeking to acquire TikTok’s US operations.
Speaking on Fox News’ Sunday Briefing, the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump said the well-known business figures would be involved in taking control of the video-sharing app’s algorithm — the key asset in the deal. “Larry Ellison is involved. Michael Dell is involved. Lachlan is involved, and Rupert Murdoch is probably going to be in the group,” Trump said.
The remarks mark a shift from the consortium of investors previously linked to the deal, which had included Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz. According to a source familiar with the negotiations, Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch would participate through Fox Corp., rather than as individual investors.
Fox Corp., the parent company of Fox News, has been expanding its digital media footprint in recent years to counter slowing growth in traditional broadcasting. A stake in TikTok’s US operations could strengthen its position with younger audiences and online advertisers.
TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, has faced intense scrutiny from Washington over data security and national security concerns. In April 2024, Congress passed a law mandating a nationwide ban on TikTok unless it sold about 80% of its US assets to American investors.
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Saturday that TikTok’s new US entity will have seven board members, six of whom will be American. She confirmed that Oracle will lead data security and privacy operations for US users.
Oracle has hosted TikTok’s US data since 2020 under a previous arrangement designed to address national security concerns.
Trump also revealed on Friday that he had a “very productive call” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, suggesting progress was being made toward finalizing the deal.
The potential sale of TikTok’s US assets has been a major flashpoint in US-China relations, with Washington pushing for stricter controls over how the app handles American user data. TikTok is one of the most widely used apps in the country, with over 150 million users.
If completed, the deal could reshape the social media landscape in the United States, placing one of the world’s most influential platforms under majority American control.
Africa Daily News, New York
