President Donald Trump has indicated that conservative media baron Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan may play a role in the pending agreement to safeguard TikTok’s operations in the United States.
In an interview aired Sunday on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing, Trump said: “A man named Lachlan is involved. Lachlan Murdoch … Rupert [Murdoch] is probably gonna be in the group, I think they’re going to be in the group.”
He went on to confirm that other high-profile U.S. business leaders are expected to take part, naming Oracle executive chairman Larry Ellison and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell.
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“Couple of others, really great people, very prominent people,” Trump added. “And they’re also American patriots, you know, they love this country. So I think they’re going to do a really good job.”
Although Trump mentioned Lachlan Murdoch by name, a person familiar with the negotiations told CNBC that Murdoch is unlikely to participate individually. However, Fox Corporation, where Lachlan serves as executive chair and CEO, could take part through corporate involvement.
White House outlines deal structure
The White House, providing fresh details on Saturday, said the deal envisions a seven-member TikTok board where six directors will be Americans, ensuring overwhelming domestic oversight. In a significant concession, the U.S. will also control TikTok’s recommendation algorithm — a key point of leverage in the standoff with China. Oracle will oversee U.S. user data and privacy, addressing concerns raised by lawmakers and regulators about potential access by Beijing.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said this structure is intended to guarantee that TikTok’s American presence operates independently from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, while complying with U.S. national security requirements.
The framework follows a direct call on Friday between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where both leaders discussed the deal. Trump later characterized the agreement as “well on its way,” noting that investors were “getting ready.”
China, however, has signaled that the negotiations remain far from settled. Through a readout published by state-run news agency Xinhua, Beijing said: “The Chinese government respects the will of companies and is pleased to see companies conduct business negotiations on the basis of market rules and reach solutions that comply with Chinese laws and regulations and balance interests.”
The statement further urged Washington to “provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing in the United States.”
Congress passed legislation in 2024 mandating that TikTok be banned in the U.S. unless ByteDance divested its American operations, citing national security risks linked to data access and Chinese influence. That law has fueled urgency around the negotiations, with lawmakers and regulators insisting that divestment is the only way for the app — used by more than 170 million Americans — to continue operating in the country.
For Washington, the deal is intended to place control of TikTok firmly in American hands, mitigating risks tied to both its vast trove of user data and its powerful algorithm. For Beijing, the negotiations are about preventing what it views as U.S. overreach into Chinese corporate interests.
If finalized, the investor group is expected to include a combination of U.S. tech heavyweights and influential media interests. Ellison’s Oracle has long been central to talks over TikTok, particularly as it was chosen under Trump’s earlier administration as the U.S. data security partner.
Trump emphasized that the group reflects not only business clout but also political alignment, calling them “patriots” who “love this country.”
The fate of TikTok now rests on balancing political demands in Washington, corporate interests in the U.S., and regulatory red lines in Beijing. The outcome could determine whether TikTok maintains its strong foothold in its second-largest market. It, however, represents an opportunity to gain influence over one of the world’s most powerful social media platforms for U.S. tech and media players.
The deal has also become a litmus test of U.S.-China relations. As Trump pursues a nationalistic strategy to “Americanize” TikTok’s operations, Beijing is signaling it will defend its companies from what it sees as discriminatory treatment abroad.