Trump gives TikTok a lifeline with $14B US buyout deal

In a plot twist only 2025 could deliver, TikTok has been saved by none other than the US’s beloved Donald J. Trump. 

The headline magnet turned president signed an executive order giving TikTok a lifeline in the US, green-lighting a deal that would spin off the app’s American operations to a group of US investors for about $14 billion. 

Vice President JD Vance, who broke the number, called it a win for national security and America’s scrolling thumbs.

Here’s the backstory: a national security law signed by Joe Biden once forced TikTok to either sell its US business or face a nationwide ban. 

Trump’s order effectively puts that law on ice for 120 days while the divestiture plan moves forward. Think of it as a government-sponsored pause button for your For You Page.

TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance hasn’t officially blessed the deal but says it’ll “work in accordance with applicable laws” to keep the app running stateside. 

Trump, meanwhile, claims he got the thumbs-up directly from Chinese President Xi Jinping. “I told him what we were doing,” Trump told reporters, “and he said, ‘Go ahead with it.’” 

Apparently, even geopolitical rivals can agree that dance challenges must go on.

Under the deal, TikTok US will get a new board of directors, while its closely guarded recommendation algorithm, source code, and moderation tools will be handed to American owners. 

Oracle will run security and provide the cloud muscle to keep the app humming. Trump assured reporters, “It’s owned by Americans, and very sophisticated Americans.”

While Trump didn’t name every investor, CNBC reports Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi–based MGX will scoop up a combined 45% stake. 

Vance promises the new setup will keep American data safe and free from “propaganda weapons.” 

And when asked if the algorithm will suddenly favor MAGA content, Trump said every viewpoint will be treated “fairly.”

Does Trump’s TikTok rescue represent a genuine solution to national security concerns, or does this $14 billion deal simply shuffle ownership while maintaining the same potential risks? Should we be concerned about the precedent of presidents intervening in app bans to broker private deals, or is this the kind of dealmaking that protects both user access and American interests? Tell us below in the comments, or reach us via our Twitter or Facebook.