Trump on TikTok Deal: Murdoch Family Investment Possible

Potential TikTok Deal Under Discussion

Discussions surrounding a possible TikTok agreement have gained momentum this weekend, with President Donald Trump indicating the potential involvement of prominent figures.

During a Sunday interview with Fox News, President Trump stated that Rupert Murdoch and his son, Lachlan, are “probably” going to participate in the deal.

Key Individuals Potentially Involved

Trump specifically mentioned Lachlan Murdoch’s involvement, adding that Rupert Murdoch is also likely to be part of the investor group.

Furthermore, the president suggested that Larry Ellison, chairman of Oracle, and Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, are anticipated to be included.

Following these statements, reports emerged indicating that Fox Corp – the parent company of Fox News, led by CEO Lachlan Murdoch and chairman emeritus Rupert Murdoch – is actively engaged in negotiations to join the investor group supporting TikTok’s U.S. spinoff from ByteDance.

Details of the Proposed Agreement

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously announced on Fox News that a tentative agreement had been reached, though not yet formalized.

This agreement would involve spinning off TikTok’s U.S. operations under majority American control.

According to Bloomberg, American investors will occupy six of the seven board seats within the restructured TikTok organization.

Algorithm control will also be transferred to the United States, ensuring U.S.-based management of the short-form video app’s algorithm.

Leavitt expressed confidence that the deal would be finalized “in the coming days.”

Investor Group and ByteDance’s Role

Bloomberg also reported that Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, and Silver Lake Management are expected to be new investors in TikTok.

Oracle will be responsible for the app’s security and safety protocols.

ByteDance is projected to retain ownership of less than 20% of the newly formed, spun-off company.

Background and Recent Developments

A federal law enacted last year initially aimed to ban TikTok in January, coinciding with President Trump’s return to office.

The app experienced a brief period of unavailability in the United States, but Trump repeatedly extended the deadline for ByteDance to find new ownership.

On Friday, Trump announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping had given his approval for the deal.

TikTok subsequently released a statement expressing gratitude to both Xi and Trump “for their efforts to preserve TikTok in the United States.”

The company affirmed its commitment to operating TikTok U.S. in compliance with all applicable laws.

This article has been updated to include President Trump’s recent comments regarding Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch.