The future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain as the Trump-led government pushes for American ownership of the app. President Donald Trump recently revealed that media moguls Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch could join tech billionaires Larry Ellison and Michael Dell in the consortium preparing to acquire TikTok’s US operations.
In an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Briefing, Trump said, “Larry Ellison is involved. Michael Dell is involved. I hate to tell you this, but a man named Lachlan is involved. Rupert Murdoch is probably going to be in the group.” Reports indicate the Murdochs would participate through Fox Corporation, potentially strengthening its digital footprint as traditional television growth slows.
The proposed acquisition follows national security concerns over TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Lawmakers worry that American user data and the app’s algorithm could be accessed or influenced by Beijing. To address these risks, Congress passed a 2024 law requiring TikTok to sell approximately 80% of its US assets to American investors or face a nationwide ban, with enforcement deadlines extended to December 2025.
Since 2020, Larry Ellison’s Oracle has hosted TikTok’s US data and is expected to oversee the platform’s algorithm and data privacy under the new ownership. Michael Dell may also invest, and six of the seven board members of the US TikTok entity would reportedly be Americans, ensuring closer domestic control.
With major figures from both the technology and media industries now involved, the TikTok US buyout could reshape the app’s American operations and data governance, while keeping national security and user privacy at the forefront.
