In a recent interview with Fox News, former President Donald Trump indicated that Rupert Murdoch, the influential media mogul, and his son Lachlan Murdoch may be involved in a potential deal that would see the U.S. take control of the social media platform TikTok. Trump also mentioned Michael Dell, the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, as a potential player in the deal, further expanding the group of high-profile figures involved.
Trump praised those considered for the deal, stating, “I think they’re going to be in the group. A couple of others. Really great people, very prominent people. And they’re also American patriots, you know, they love this country. I think they’re going to do a really good job.” Larry Ellison, founder and CEO of Oracle, was also noted as part of this potential group, a detail that had already been made public.
According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Oracle would be tasked with managing TikTok’s data and security. In this proposed structure, Americans are expected to control six of the seven seats on the upcoming TikTok board. This announcement follows Trump’s assertion that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a “very productive call,” during which they discussed the pivotal approval of the TikTok deal—details of which remain largely unclear.
This potential agreement comes in the wake of concerns raised by U.S. lawmakers regarding TikTok’s threat to national security, particularly over the possibility that its Chinese owner, ByteDance, could use the app to manipulate its algorithm for nefarious purposes. U.S. officials have warned that such vulnerabilities expose American users to risks, particularly in the shaping of public opinion and content delivery.
Previous mandates from Congress indicated that TikTok would need to be shut down for American users by January 2025 if ByteDance did not effectuate a sale of its U.S. operations. However, President Trump has delayed that ban on four occasions, suggesting an effort to find a resolution.
During the interview, Trump candidly acknowledged a change in his perception of TikTok, stating, “I wasn’t a fan of TikTok and then I got to use it and then I became a fan and it helped me win an election in a landslide.” He later provided updates on the conversation with Xi, relaying that progress had been made on several significant issues, including trade discussions, the opioid crisis, and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump confirmed that Xi had shown approval for the TikTok deal, although he noted that final signatures are still pending. As of now, representatives for the Murdochs, Dell, and Ellison have not yet issued any comments concerning their involvement in the proposed TikTok transaction.
