​​​​​​​Trump Set To Approve TikTok Deal; Oracle Will Gain Algorithm Control Amid CEO Shakeup

Update (1035 ET):

President Trump is preparing to sign an executive order this week that will approve the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to an investor consortium, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, according to Bloomberg, citing a White House official. 

Key points from the call:

• The order will formally declare that the deal meets U.S. national security requirements.

• Trump will also extend the existing TikTok pause by 20 days.

• The transaction is expected to close within 120 days of signing.

Earlier:

• Oracle will retrain the TikTok algorithm and safeguard U.S. user data. 

• Six of the seven board seats in the new U.S. entity will be held by Americans.

• Oracle reshuffled leadership Monday, naming Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia as co-CEOs, replacing Safra Catz, with no explanation or link to the TikTok deal.

*   *   * 

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, will create a duplicate algorithm and lease it to a new U.S. entity controlled by an investor consortium including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, Bloomberg reported, citing a White House official. Oracle will retrain the algorithm and safeguard U.S. user data. In addition, six of the seven board seats in the new entity will be held by Americans, as the structure for U.S. control of TikTok takes shape.

The arrangement, outlined by a White House official in a statement on Monday, ensures that Oracle will retrain and operate the algorithm “from the ground up.” At the same time, ByteDance will have no access to U.S. user data or influence on the algorithm.

“Oracle, the U.S. security partner, will operate, retrain, and continuously monitor the U.S. algorithm to ensure content is free from improper manipulation or surveillance,” according to a Q&A accompanying the White House official’s comments.

President Trump is set to sign an executive order this week to formalize his approval of the transaction. He expressed confidence in all parties last week, saying, “I had a great call with President Xi, and as you know, I approved the TikTok deal, and we’re in the process. We look forward to getting that deal closed.” His remarks came shortly after a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.

The current plan wouldn’t require users to re-download the app, which would continue to work with TikTok outside the country.  

On Saturday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Americans would hold six of the seven board seats for TikTok (read report) and, more importantly, that the app’s insanely addictive algorithm would be US-controlled. She noted that the deal would be signed in the coming days.

🚨 @PressSec @karolineleavitt with news on exactly what the TikTok deal will look like.

Saturday In America w/ Kayleigh McEnany @FoxNews ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dgweGBcEOY

— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) September 20, 2025

The American board members will be lined with those who have national security and cybersecurity credentials, while the remaining board member, appointed by current owner ByteDance, will be excluded from the security committee, according to a senior White House official.  

“So all of those details have already been agreed upon, now we just need this deal to be signed and that will be happening, I anticipate, in the coming days,” Leavitt said. 

On Sunday, Trump told the hosts of Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing” that Fox Chairman Lachlan Murdoch and his father Rupert will likely be involved in the U.S. TikTok deal.

In a separate report from The Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch told executives working on the TikTok deal that he wanted to own a small stake in the U.S.-based company.

Nearly a week ago, it was revealed that Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz will control the U.S. entity and app used by 170 million Americans. Some national security experts have warned that TikTok is highly addictive and represents another domain of hybrid warfare by China. 

Furthermore, Oracle announced a leadership shakeup on Monday morning, promoting Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia to CEO roles, replacing Safra Catz. The move splits leadership. There was no explanation as to why Catz was pushed aside, or whether it was related to the upcoming TikTok deal.

*  *  *