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Trump signs $14 billion TikTok deal as ByteDance prepares new U.S. office
“This is going to be American-operated all the way,” said President Donald Trump, adding that prominent investors including Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell and media mogul Rupert Murdoch would take part in the new venture alongside “four or five absolutely world-class” partners.
Executive order paves way for American-led ownership while ByteDance readies a U.S. entity to oversee e-commerce and branding operations
President Donald Trump has moved a step closer to reshaping TikTok’s future in the United States, signing an executive order that clears the path for a $14 billion sale of the app’s U.S. operations to American and global investors. The move is designed to comply with a 2024 law requiring Chinese owners to divest the popular short video platform on national security grounds.
Vice President JD Vance, speaking at the White House, confirmed the $14 billion valuation, significantly lower than some analysts had projected. He said the aim was to keep TikTok accessible to its 170 million U.S. users while ensuring “Americans’ data privacy as required by law,” as per media reports.
The order also pushes back the enforcement of the divest-or-ban deadline until January 20, giving negotiators time to carve out TikTok’s U.S. assets, secure investors, and navigate Chinese government approvals. Trump said he had spoken directly with President Xi Jinping, who indicated support for the plan.
One of the most sensitive issues- the app’s powerful recommendation algorithm will reportedly be retrained and supervised by security partners of the new U.S. company, with operational control resting entirely in American hands.
Read more: Trump and TikTok saga: US president Donald Trump to approve TikTok deal in line with 2024 law
“This is going to be American-operated all the way,” Trump said, adding that prominent investors including Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell and media mogul Rupert Murdoch would take part in the new venture alongside “four or five absolutely world-class” partners.
ByteDance, TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, is also reportedly preparing to establish a new U.S. entity as part of the restructuring.
According to Chinese outlet LatePost, the spinoff would oversee TikTok’s e-commerce, branding, and connections with ByteDance’s global business. ByteDance has yet to issue an official statement.
TikTok has been a politically charged platform for Trump, who has credited it with energizing his 2024 campaign and counts 15 million followers on his personal account. The White House also launched its own official TikTok presence last month, underscoring the app’s influence even as its future ownership remains in flux.
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