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The White House has confirmed that American companies will oversee TikTok’s algorithm and security operations. American representatives will fill six of the seven seats on the app’s governing board in the United States.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Oracle will manage TikTok’s US data and privacy systems. She also stated that the app’s algorithm, which drives recommendations to 170 million US users, will fall under American control.
The announcement follows months of negotiations between Washington and Beijing over concerns about TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance. US lawmakers had pressed for a sale of the app’s American operations to prevent potential data sharing with the Chinese government.
President Donald Trump stated that he held a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss TikTok’s US operations. He described the conversation as “productive” and said both sides showed interest in keeping the app available to American users.
Trump confirmed that US investors are prepared to move forward with the deal. He added that the new American-controlled board will include “very substantial” figures from the technology and business sectors. The White House has not yet disclosed the names of the appointees.
China has not publicly confirmed an agreement on the sale. The Commerce Ministry released a statement noting that Beijing supports negotiations as long as they comply with Chinese laws and balance the interests of all parties.
Concerns about TikTok’s role in handling user data have driven US efforts to transfer control of its American operations. Officials have long argued that ByteDance could face pressure from Chinese authorities to hand over sensitive information. They went on to warn that the algorithm might be used to influence political views and news consumption.
In early 2024, Congress passed legislation banning TikTok unless ByteDance sold its US business. The law briefly forced the app offline in January before Trump delayed the ban several times. The US president has since extended deadlines to allow time for negotiations.
Leavitt said the White House is “100% confident” that the deal is complete and only requires a final signature. She emphasized that the arrangement ensures user privacy while maintaining TikTok's accessibility to millions of Americans.
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