On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he is in discussions with multiple parties regarding the purchase of TikTok and expects to make a decision on the app’s future within the next 30 days.
“I’ve talked to many people about TikTok, and there’s significant interest,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Florida.
Earlier, Reuters reported that Trump’s administration is working on a plan to save TikTok, potentially involving Oracle and a group of investors taking control of the app’s operations. Under this proposed arrangement, ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, would retain a stake, but Oracle would oversee data management and software updates, as it already supports TikTok’s web infrastructure.
Trump, however, clarified that he has not discussed a deal with Oracle’s Larry Ellison. When asked about a possible deal involving Oracle and other investors, he responded, “No, not with Oracle. Many significant people are talking to me about buying it, and I’ll likely make a decision within the next 30 days. Congress has given 90 days. If we can save TikTok, it could be a good thing.”
Sources noted that discussions about any potential deal with Oracle remain fluid, with the possibility of the arrangement covering U.S. operations and possibly other regions. A deal could also involve participation from ByteDance’s current U.S. investors, including Susquehanna International Group, General Atlantic, KKR, and Sequoia Capital.
While Oracle is negotiating, other potential buyers, including billionaire Frank McCourt’s investment group and one led by YouTube star Mr. Beast (Jimmy Donaldson), are not part of the talks.
In the proposed deal, Oracle would address national security concerns. TikTok previously collaborated with Oracle in 2022 to store U.S. user data and ease fears of Chinese government interference. Under the terms, TikTok’s management would remain in place to continue operating the app.
The app, which has 170 million U.S. users, was temporarily taken offline before a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok over national security concerns took effect on January 19. Trump later signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of the law by 75 days.
Meetings between Oracle and White House officials about the potential deal have taken place, with another scheduled for next week. NPR reported that Oracle is considering a stake in TikTok valued at “tens of billions.”
Trump has expressed a desire for the United States to hold a 50% ownership stake in a joint venture involving TikTok. However, the White House sees appeasing Congress as a key obstacle.
While free speech advocates oppose TikTok’s ban, the company has stated that U.S. officials have misrepresented its ties to China, arguing that its user data is stored on U.S.-based cloud servers operated by Oracle, and content moderation is done within the U.S.
