High-Profile Figures Considered in Potential TikTok Deal
The U.S. government’s potential acquisition of TikTok could involve several billionaires, including Rupert Murdoch of media fame and Michael Dell of tech renown. President Donald Trump discussed these developments in a recent interview, suggesting a notable shift in control over the popular social media platform.
During a discussion aired on Fox News, Trump mentioned both Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, known for their leadership roles at Fox News and News Corp, as possible contributors to the deal. “I think they’re going to be in the group. A couple of others. Really great people, very prominent people,” Trump stated. “And they’re also American patriots, you know, they love this country. I think they’re going to do a really good job.”
The revelation regarding the Murdochs and Dell, the mind behind Dell Technologies, adds another layer to the evolving narrative of TikTok’s operations in the U.S. Trump also confirmed Larry Ellison, Oracle’s founder, as part of the group, a detail previously disclosed. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that Oracle would oversee data and security, with Americans controlling the majority of the board seats.
Despite these declarations, many specifics about the deal remain unresolved. Trump engaged in discussions with China’s Xi Jinping, highlighting the international scope of the negotiations, which must reach a conclusion by December 16 following a deadline extension.
TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has raised concerns among U.S. officials who fear the app’s algorithm could be manipulated by Chinese authorities. Congress has pushed for a TikTok ban to commence in January, yet Trump continues to delay this with orders allowing the app to operate while negotiations proceed.
In his remarks, Trump expressed a personal connection to TikTok, acknowledging its role in engaging younger voters, an insight attributed to the advice of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Efforts to reach representatives for Ellison, Dell, and the Murdochs for comments were unsuccessful at this time. Notably, Trump previously filed a lawsuit against Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal concerning coverage linking him to Jeffrey Epstein.
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