Washington, D.C. — In a recent interview on Fox News, President Donald Trump revealed that prominent U.S. business figures—including Rupert Murdoch, his son Lachlan Murdoch, Michael Dell, and Larry Ellison—are likely to be part of a deal to purchase TikTok’s U.S. operations from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. ABC+3Reuters+3AP News+3

The announcement comes as Washington races against legal deadlines that threaten to ban TikTok in the U.S. unless its ownership is changed, citing national security and data privacy concerns. Holland & Knight+2Reuters+2

What Trump Said

• Trump claimed Larry Ellison and Michael Dell are already involved in the investor group. He then added, somewhat unexpectedly:

  “I hate to tell you this – a man named Lachlan is involved. You know who Lachlan is? That’s … Lachlan Murdoch. Rupert is probably gonna be in the group … they’re also American patriots …” AP News+2Axios+2

• He emphasized that these are “very prominent people,” seemingly intended to lend credibility and seriousness to the deal. AP News+1

Legal & Political Background

To understand the stakes, here are the key legal and political issues behind the deal:

1. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA)
   Passed in 2024, this law requires ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations by a deadline (originally January 19, 2025), or else TikTok faces a ban in the U.S. Wikipedia+3Wikipedia+3Holland & Knight+3

2. Supreme Court Decision
   The U.S. Supreme Court upheld PAFACA, confirming that the law is constitutional. The Verge+3Supreme Court+3Wikipedia+3

3. Enforcement Delays & Negotiations
   Although TikTok is under legal pressure, enforcement has been delayed while negotiations over how to implement a divestiture proceed. The transition involves questions about data control, ownership, algorithms, and how much continued involvement, if any, ByteDance might retain. Reuters+4ABC+4CBS News+4

4. Control Over Data & Algorithm
   A major sticking point is who controls TikTok’s recommendation algorithm and where U.S. user data is stored and who has access. The Trump administration (and White House press briefings) say Americans will have control over these crucial parts. Oracle (Ellison’s company) is slated to play a role in data infrastructure and oversight. Reuters+3Reuters+3Politico+3

Why the Murdochs & Dell Matter

Putting names like Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, Michael Dell, and Larry Ellison into any deal carries political, media, and economic weight. Here’s why:

• Media Influence: The Murdochs’ media empire (Fox, News Corp) has extensive reach and influence, especially among conservative audiences. Their involvement would meld media power with tech ownership in a high-visibility way.

• Technical & Financial Firepower: Dell and Ellison bring resources, credibility, and experience. Dell in tech hardware and enterprise infrastructure, Ellison in cloud/data and governance.

• Political Perception: Trump’s framing them as “American patriots” serves dual purposes: assuring the public this is about national security, and aligning with his political base.

• Potential Conflicts: It also raises ethical, journalistic, and regulatory questions—how ownership might influence content moderation, political messaging, media bias, or free speech concerns.

Implications for Users, Law, and Policy

For U.S. users and stakeholders, here are what to watch out for and potential consequences:

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What Is Still Unclear

Trump’s comments move the story forward, but many things remain uncertain:

• Degree of Involvement: It is not yet clear precisely how Rupert Murdoch or Lachlan Murdoch would participate—whether via Fox Corp, private investment, or some other role. Axios+2Deadline+2

• Deal Structure: Will ByteDance fully divest? Will there be licensing agreements for algorithm/IP with China? What will be the valuation and financial terms? CBS News+2Financial Times+2

• Chinese Approval & Negotiation: Since algorithm/IP may implicate Chinese export or tech laws, how China responds and what access it retains is crucial. CBS News+2Financial Times+2

• Timeline and Enforcement: Even with PAFACA law in place, enforcement has been delayed, and new deadlines or executive actions may be required. Holland & Knight+2Reuters+2

Takeaways for Readers

• If you use TikTok in the U.S., the platform may undergo major changes—not just ownership, but how your data is handled, how content is recommended, and who makes choices about what you see.

• For people concerned about privacy, algorithm transparency, or foreign influence, this could be a turning point. Public scrutiny and regulatory guardrails will matter.

• Media watchers should note the potential for media ownership to intersect with platform ownership. It could lead to scrutiny about content neutrality and influence.

• If you follow politics or U.S.-China relations, this is a significant front: negotiations over TikTok are now part of broader discussions about tech sovereignty, data protection, and international regulatory norms.

What to Keep an Eye On Going Forward

1. Official terms of the deal: Will there be a public version of what the investor group will own vs what ByteDance keeps (if anything)?

2. Board composition and oversight: Who sits on the new board, and who controls governance, data custody, algorithm changes?

3. Regulatory filings and court decisions: Especially if someone challenges the deal in court, or if Congress demands oversight.

4. China’s role: How much approval, legal clearance, or cooperation will ByteDance / Chinese authorities grant?

5. Public reaction: How users, privacy advocates, trade groups, and media entities respond—especially if changes are perceived as undermining free speech or platform neutrality.

President Trump’s announcement that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, along with tech heavyweights like Michael Dell and Larry Ellison, may join the U.S. investor group buying TikTok signals a major step in a high-stakes national security and tech policy drama. While much remains undecided—from deal structure to oversight—the implications are wide: for users’ privacy, for content and speech, for media influence, and for U.S. regulatory power in the global tech landscape.

For anyone interested in technology policy, privacy, media influence, or U.S.-China relations, this unfolding story is one to watch closely.