Trump signs order to facilitate TikTok sale to US buyers
September 25, 2025
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order declaring that a plan to sell TikTok's US operations met legal requirements.
What do we know so far?
The proposed deal allows TikTok to continue operating in the US and according to Vice President JD Vance is valued at $14 billion (€12 billion).
"The company will be valued around $14B...the most important thing is that it does protect Americans' data security," Vance said in a statement posted on X.
"It ensures TikTok is still accessible, and on this question of the algorithm, what this deal ensures is that... American investors will actually control the algorithm," Vance added.
Former US President Joe Biden signed off on legislation last year that would force TikTok's Chinese owner, Bytedance, to sell off TikTok's assets to an American firm. If TikTok's assets were not sold off, the popular video sharing app would be banned in the United States due to national security concerns.
Under the framework of the ownership deal, TikTok's US operations would be "majority-owned and controlled" by US-based firms.
Trump said that American investors such as Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and media tycoon Rupert Murdoch would have investment stakes in the app.
Bytedance, meanwhile, would have less than 20% stake.
China has so far not confirmed divestment plans
Trump claimed that Chinese leader Xi Jinping gave his approval to go ahead with the divestment plan. So far, neither the Chinese government nor TikTok have confirmed Trump's claim.
Trump has been determined to keep TikTok available in the US during his second term in office. Trump has said he is a fan of the video app because it helped him garner the youth vote in the 2024 election.
Edited by: Kieran Burke