The battle over TikTok’s future in America has reached its climax. U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order officially approving the transfer of TikTok’s U.S. operations from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to a consortium of American investors.
The deal, valued at $14 billion, gives American companies a 65% controlling stake, while ByteDance is left with less than 20%. Tech giant Oracle will lead the new ownership, taking responsibility for overseeing TikTok’s U.S. data storage and its closely guarded algorithm. A seven-member board, six of whom are American national security experts, will monitor content moderation and safeguard against foreign influence.
Trump revealed he had spoken directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who gave his blessing for the deal. “We’ve secured America’s data, and TikTok will now be run under U.S. laws and American control,” Trump said while signing the order. The arrangement gives a 120-day window for the transaction to be fully completed.
The move comes in response to a 2024 U.S. law that forced foreign-owned social media platforms to divest or face a total ban. Critics of TikTok had long argued the app posed a national security risk by allegedly allowing Beijing access to user data and influencing global narratives.
While supporters hailed the deal as a major win for American tech sovereignty, critics questioned whether ByteDance’s minority stake might still give it indirect sway over TikTok’s recommendation system. Human rights groups also warned that political oversight of content could undermine free expression.
For now, TikTok has dodged the threat of a nationwide ban. But the real test lies ahead: can the app thrive under its new American ownership while satisfying both Washington and wary users?
