President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to complete a deal between the U.S. and TikTok’s Chinese parent company. The deal will let a group of wealthy American investors—many of them Trump supporters—take ownership of the popular app.

Key Points:

  • Trump signed the order in the Oval Office. Vice President JD Vance said Americans can now use TikTok “with more confidence” because their data will be safer under U.S. ownership.

  • Trump named billionaire Rupert Murdoch and Dell CEO Michael Dell as part of the four or five top investors backing the deal.

  • The deal values TikTok at $14 billion, according to Vance.

  • Exact details of the investors and agreement are not yet clear. More information will be announced soon.

  • Under a U.S. law passed in April 2024, TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, must sell its stake or face a ban in the U.S. Trump has already extended the deadline several times.

  • TikTok is the third most popular social media app in the U.S., with about 124.7 million users in August. It trails behind Facebook (137.3 million) and YouTube (162.5 million).

Trump Signs Order for TikTok Deal

President Donald Trump signed an order on Thursday to finalize a deal between the U.S. and TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance. The agreement will allow a group of wealthy American investors—many of them Trump supporters—to take control of the app.

Key Points:

  • Trump signed the order in the Oval Office. Vice President JD Vance said Americans can now use TikTok “with more confidence” because U.S. ownership will better protect their data.

  • Trump mentioned billionaire Rupert Murdoch and Dell CEO Michael Dell as two of the main investors.

  • The deal values TikTok at $14 billion, according to Vance.

  • Full details about the investors and the agreement are not yet public. More will be shared soon.

  • A U.S. law passed in April 2024 requires ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban. Trump has already extended the deadline several times.

  • TikTok is the third most popular social media app in the U.S. with about 124.7 million users as of August, behind Facebook (137.3 million) and YouTube (162.5 million).

What About TikTok’s Algorithm?

ByteDance will copy TikTok’s powerful recommendation algorithm and lease it to the U.S. company. Under the watch of Oracle and the U.S. government, the system will be rebuilt for American users.

What Has China Said About The TikTok Deal?

Last week, Trump thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for “approving TikTok” and said they made progress on many important issues during a phone call. But China’s foreign ministry didn’t directly confirm that Xi had approved the deal. Instead, they said China respects business decisions, supports fair market negotiations, and wants solutions that follow Chinese laws and protect everyone’s interests. During the call, Xi also asked Trump not to put one-sided trade restrictions on China. According to Trump’s team, they are fully confident that China will give final approval.

Why Was TikTok Banned in the U.S.?

President Joe Biden signed a law last year banning TikTok in the U.S. The app had faced years of criticism from both political parties over data privacy and possible ties to the Chinese government. Reports said TikTok spied on journalists, spread Chinese propaganda, mishandled user data like Social Security numbers, and tracked sensitive keywords. TikTok denied these claims, saying it has no links to China’s government and argued that the ban violates free speech rights. The company also said banning TikTok is impossible—commercially, legally, and technologically. However, in January, the Supreme Court upheld the ban, saying it does not violate free speech and supports national security concerns.

Published: 26th September 2025

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