President Trump, in an interview aired on Sunday, mentioned that media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his son, Lachlan, could be among the interested buyers for TikTok.
During his appearance on the inaugural episode of Fox News’s “The Sunday Briefing,” Trump explained to Peter Doocy that the Murdochs, along with Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Michael Dell, the head of Dell Technologies, were part of a group looking to acquire TikTok to ensure its continued operation in the United States.
“You know, they’re very well-known people. And Larry Ellison is one of them. He’s involved. He’s a great guy. Michael Dell is involved,” Trump said.
“I hate to tell you this, but a man named Lachlan is involved,” Trump said, referring to Lachlan Murdoch, whose family owns Fox News.
“Rupert is likely to be involved. I anticipate they’ll be part of it,” Trump stated. “There are a few others. Outstanding individuals, well-known figures. They are also true American patriots. They hold this nation dear. I believe they will handle things exceptionally well.”
On Friday, following a discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump announced that an agreement had been reached to allow TikTok to continue its U.S. operations after a period of uncertainty brought on by impending legislation in 2024.
However, the Trump administration has not provided many details about the agreement. The Chinese government seemed less assured about the progress of negotiations on Friday, indicating the president agreed to support achieving a “suitable deal on TikTok.”
Overwhelming bipartisan support was shown for a 2024 bill that demands ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company based in China, to sell its interests in the app or face a ban on U.S. platforms and marketplaces. Despite the absence of divestment, Trump has approved multiple extensions to keep the app accessible to Americans.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday on Fox News that the deal, which still needs to be signed, means the app will be “majority-owned by Americans in the United States.” The app’s algorithm “will also be controlled by America as well,” Leavitt said.
