President Donald Trump said Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch will “probably” join a consortium of American investors aiming to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations, alongside Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison and Dell founder Michael Dell. He made the remarks in a Fox News interview as the White House talked up a pending deal that would keep the app operating in the U.S. under American control.
According to administration briefings, the emerging structure would put Oracle in charge of U.S. data storage and a U.S.-controlled version of TikTok’s recommendation algorithm, addressing national-security concerns that drove Congress’s 2024 law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban. The law’s sale-or-ban mandate was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in January.
Media reports suggest any Murdoch involvement would likely be via Fox Corp., not personal stakes. Other potential participants reportedly include major investment firms; ByteDance could retain a sub-20% interest, with the new U.S. entity majority-owned by American investors.
On the diplomatic front, Trump has said Beijing is receptive following a call with Xi Jinping, but China has not publicly confirmed approval. Over the weekend, China’s Commerce Ministry reiterated that it “respects the will of enterprises” and supports market-based negotiations compliant with Chinese law.
- Deal mechanics & timing: A forthcoming executive order is expected to outline timelines and compliance conditions; prior extensions have paused enforcement of the ban to allow negotiations.
- Ownership & control: Final cap tables (who owns what) and the precise terms of algorithm licensing/duplicating for U.S. use.
- Regulatory review: Potential scrutiny from antitrust and national-security authorities on both sides of the Pacific.
Bottom line: A U.S.-majority TikTok with Oracle-led data and algorithm controls is nearing the finish line—but final approval and structure still hinge on both Washington and Beijing
