The fate of TikTok’s American operations has become the center of a high-stakes international drama, pitting national security concerns against business interests and the shifting tides of global influence. With the clock ticking toward a December 16, 2025, deadline for a final agreement, the question of who will ultimately control the wildly popular video-sharing app in the United States remains unresolved—but the cast of potential new owners is nothing short of star-studded.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled that an elite group of American business titans—Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, Michael Dell, and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison—are at the heart of a consortium vying to take over TikTok’s U.S. operations from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. In a recent Fox News interview, Trump described these figures as “very prominent people” and “American patriots,” suggesting their involvement would help ensure TikTok remains operational in the U.S. under strict American oversight (as reported by Fox News and MarketWatch).
The Murdochs’ participation is expected to come through Fox Corporation, not as private investors, potentially giving the media conglomerate a powerful new digital foothold as traditional television viewership continues to decline. Oracle, meanwhile, is set to play a central technical role. The company has hosted TikTok’s U.S. data since 2020, and, under the proposed deal, would oversee the app’s algorithm and privacy safeguards. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Oracle would be responsible for TikTok’s data and security, and that six of the seven planned board seats for the new U.S. TikTok entity would be held by Americans—a direct response to lawmakers’ concerns over national security and foreign influence.
These concerns are not unfounded. U.S. officials have long warned that ByteDance, as a Chinese company, could be compelled by Beijing to share American user data or allow the Chinese government to manipulate TikTok’s powerful content algorithm. As a result, Congress passed legislation in 2024 requiring ByteDance to sell approximately 80% of TikTok’s U.S. operations to American investors or face a nationwide ban. Enforcement of this law, however, has been delayed several times as negotiations drag on, with Trump most recently extending the deadline to December 2025 (as reported by Business Today and The Guardian).
Trump’s own feelings about TikTok are complicated. He has admitted to being “a little prejudiced” toward the app, crediting it with helping him connect with younger voters—a demographic that has proven increasingly influential in recent elections. Trump even revealed that slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk encouraged him to use the platform. Despite this personal affinity, the president has remained steadfast in his calls for American control over TikTok’s U.S. operations, citing the need to protect national interests and user privacy.
The negotiations are not limited to American boardrooms. Trump discussed the TikTok deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a lengthy phone call on September 19, 2025, and officials from both countries are working feverishly to finalize the details before the December deadline. For now, TikTok continues to operate in the U.S., but its future hangs in the balance as Washington, Beijing, and the would-be American investors hammer out the terms of a potential takeover.
Across the Pacific, the debate over TikTok’s ownership has spilled into Australian politics. As reported by The Guardian, Australia is now considering whether to adopt a U.S.-controlled version of TikTok if the American deal goes through, or to stick with the current Chinese-owned model. Liberal senator James Paterson has argued that it would be “an unfortunate thing if there was a safe version of TikTok in the United States, but a version of TikTok in Australia which was still controlled by a foreign authoritarian government.” He suggested Australia should move to the U.S. version if the deal is finalized.
Not everyone is convinced that American ownership will solve the platform’s privacy woes. Tom Sulston, head of policy at Digital Rights Watch, told Sky News, “The problem is not the ownership. The problem is the constant and intrusive surveillance of the user base. Users of a U.S.-owned TikTok won’t enjoy any more privacy than they did with a Chinese-owned TikTok, on account of the lack of meaningful regulation of social media companies.” He cautioned that TikTok users in the U.S. would still be subject to pervasive data collection, both for advertising purposes and by national intelligence services.
Others have raised concerns about the potential media consolidation that could result if the Murdochs acquire a stake in TikTok. Skye Predavec, a fellow at the Australia Institute, warned that “if [the Murdochs] have part ownership of TikTok, that gives them a whole new level of control over media, and TikTok is becoming such an incredibly important part of our public discourse and elections. That sort of concentration is pretty worrying, I think.”
From a technical standpoint, the transition could be bumpy. Dr. Dana McKay, associate dean in interaction, technology and information at RMIT University, noted that TikTok’s algorithm—the secret sauce behind its addictive recommendations—would be rebuilt by Oracle. “Until they have significant data on how people watch videos, there is likely to be a noticeable dip in user experience,” McKay explained. “This may last days or weeks, depending on how much data the current algorithm is relying on.” Such a disruption could drive users to rival platforms, echoing the fate of Myspace, which News Corp famously acquired for $580 million in 2005 only to sell it for a fraction of that price after Facebook’s rise.
For now, the Australian federal government is maintaining its ban on TikTok for government devices and is closely monitoring developments in the U.S. News Corp and TikTok have both declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations.
Meanwhile, the broader implications of the TikTok saga extend beyond business and technology. Trump’s recent address at the United Nations General Assembly, where he doubled down on his nationalist rhetoric and criticized multilateral institutions, has left foreign officials wary of America’s future direction. As one European official put it, “The world will take it, because the world has no choice.” But for TikTok’s millions of American users—and the powerful interests vying for control—the stakes are as personal as they are political.
As the December 16 deadline approaches, all eyes will remain fixed on Washington and Beijing. The outcome will not only determine the fate of TikTok in America but could also reshape the global landscape of digital media and privacy for years to come.
