The White House Nears Agreement with Oracle for TikTok’s U.S. Operations
The White House is reportedly moving closer to finalizing a deal with Oracle to manage TikTok’s U.S. operations.
This development comes ahead of a looming deadline set by President Donald Trump for the popular social media platform to divest from its Chinese ownership to avoid a nationwide ban.
Vice President JD Vance, appointed by Trump to oversee the administration’s position on the issue, indicated on Friday that a deal could be reached by early next month.
However, he cautioned that the necessary paperwork might take slightly longer to complete.
“There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise,” Vance told NBC News.
Earlier this year, TikTok temporarily went offline in the U.S. for about 14 hours in response to a federal ban over national security concerns related to the app’s ties to China.
Service was restored to its approximately 170 million American users after Trump promised to sign an executive order delaying the enforcement of a U.S. law requiring the app to divest from its Chinese ownership to remain available in U.S. app stores.
Trump followed through on his promise, granting TikTok a 75-day extension to comply with the law on his first day in office.
The president has previously stated he would be willing to further extend the current April 5 deadline if needed.
Last week, Trump mentioned his administration was considering offers from “four different groups” without naming the bidders.
Recent reports suggest that Oracle is the leading contender to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations. The social media app already has a deal with Oracle to store its U.S. user data.
While discussions are reportedly in advanced stages, questions remain about the role of ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, in the potential deal.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are expected to meet with representatives from Oracle this week to discuss the plan, according to Politico. Neither the White House nor Oracle has addressed the reports so far.
Earlier this year, Trump expressed openness to Larry Ellison, Oracle’s founder and chief technology officer, owning the platform.
Other bidders include startup Perplexity AI and billionaire Frank McCourt, the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who has joined forces with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary.
The outcome of these negotiations will have significant implications for the future of TikTok in the U.S., balancing national security concerns with the platform’s widespread popularity among American users.
It also highlights how the White House is stepping up efforts to tighten control over tech platforms, just as it recently unlocked £185m in AmeriCorps funding to strengthen community programs nationwide.
