U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order approving the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to a group of American and global investors. According to Trump, the move is designed to satisfy national security requirements outlined in a 2024 law. The new U.S.-based company is expected to be valued at approximately $14 billion, according to reports from Vice President JD Vance. This is the first time a specific value has been publicly attached to the popular short video platform.
Trump delayed enforcement of the law, which would have banned TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divested its American assets. This delay was intended to allow for the extraction of TikTok’s U.S. operations from the global platform, secure investment from American and other sources, and obtain necessary approvals from the Chinese government. Trump stated that he discussed the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who reportedly gave the go-ahead for the deal.
While the Chinese embassy in Washington and TikTok have not yet commented on Trump’s executive order, Trump emphasized that the new TikTok operation would be entirely American-operated. He suggested that prominent investors such as Michael Dell, Rupert Murdoch, and other leading global investors would be involved in the deal. TikTok, which boasts 170 million users in the U.S., has been credited by Trump with assisting his reelection efforts and hosts his personal account with 15 million followers. The White House also launched an official TikTok account recently.
Republican House lawmakers have indicated they seek further details of the deal to ensure a clean break from Chinese influence. Representatives Brett Guthrie, Gus Bilirakis, and Richard Hudson jointly stated that they want assurances the deal protects American users from influence and surveillance from groups aligned with the Chinese Communist Party as the final details of the deal are settled.
