The White House on Saturday said that an emerging agreement with China over TikTok will ensure U.S. oversight of the app’s operations, with Americans holding a majority on a new governing board and U.S. companies taking control of its closely guarded algorithm.
The development comes amid long-running tensions between Washington and Beijing over whether TikTok, owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance, would retain control of the algorithm that determines what users see on the platform.
Although Congress passed legislation mandating a TikTok ban set to take effect in January, President Donald Trump has repeatedly issued extensions, allowing the app to continue operating while negotiations proceed over a potential sale of its U.S. operations.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Oracle would handle TikTok’s data and security, while six of the seven board seats overseeing U.S. operations would be held by Americans. “The algorithm will also be controlled by America,” she added. Oracle did not comment on the matter.
Speaking to reporters after a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, Trump said: “We have great American patriots that are buying it — very, very substantial people, people that love our country. And they’re very smart technologically, and they will not let anything bad happen to TikTok.”
The algorithm, which drives TikTok’s content feed, has been at the center of U.S. concerns. Officials have warned it could be manipulated by Chinese authorities to shape narratives in subtle ways that are difficult to trace.
Leavitt said the administration is “100% confident that a deal is done,” with only the signing remaining. “The president’s team is working with their Chinese counterparts to do just that,” she said.
While Trump praised Xi as “a gentleman” in the talks, he remained vague on the critical issue of China’s role in the algorithm. “It’s all being worked out,” he said. “We’re going to have very good control.” A statement from Beijing following the call did not clarify whether China had agreed to ByteDance selling a controlling stake.
Leavitt said Trump recognized the need to “protect Americans’ privacy and data while also keeping this app open,” noting that “TikTok is a vital part of our democratic process.”
Public opinion on TikTok remains divided. A Pew Research Center survey found that one-third of Americans currently support a ban, down from 50 percent in March 2023. Another one-third oppose it, while the rest remain undecided. Among those favoring a ban, 8 in 10 cited concerns over user data security as their primary reason.
Leavitt expressed optimism that the deal would soon be finalized. “Now we just need this deal to be signed,” she said. “And that will be happening, I anticipate, in the coming days.”