Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan could be part of a group of investors vying to acquire TikTok’s US operations, President Donald Trump has revealed.
Speaking on Fox News, Trump said Oracle chairman Larry Ellison and Dell founder Michael Dell were also “likely” participants in the proposed deal, which is intended to keep the social media platform running in the US under American ownership.
“I think they’re going to do a really good job,” Trump said, calling the investors “American patriots.”
The sale is being driven by a 2024 law requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, to divest its US arm over national security concerns. Lawmakers argue Beijing could access the data of TikTok’s 170 million American users. Enforcement of the ban is currently paused while negotiations proceed.
US media reports suggest the Murdochs may invest through Fox Corp rather than personally. Their involvement, alongside Ellison and Dell, would bring together some of the most influential families in American media and technology with potential sway over one of the country’s most popular apps.
The White House has hinted that a deal is close. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Saturday that Oracle would oversee US user data and TikTok’s algorithm would be controlled domestically.
Meanwhile, Beijing has signaled it is open to talks. China’s Commerce Ministry said negotiations should follow “market rules” and respect the interests of all sides.
ByteDance has not yet commented on Trump’s remarks.
