Trump Appears to Approve Deal for tiktok, Averting Potential Ban
WASHINGTON – Late in the week of September 16, 2024, former President Donald Trump appeared to approve a tentative agreement regarding the popular social media platform TikTok, potentially averting a nationwide ban that has been threatened for years. Images circulating online show a document bearing what appears to be Trump’s signature, seemingly endorsing a deal brokered between TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and a consortium of American investors.
The move follows a protracted legal and political battle over tiktok, fueled by U.S. national security concerns regarding data privacy and potential Chinese government influence. A ban, repeatedly delayed by court challenges, would have impacted over 170 million American users and significantly altered the social media landscape.The details of the agreement remain somewhat opaque, but reportedly involve Oracle taking a controlling stake in TikTok’s U.S. operations and implementing robust data security measures to safeguard user information.
The origins of the dispute trace back to the Trump administration in 2020, when executive orders were issued citing national security risks posed by tiktok and WeChat. Thes orders sought to prohibit transactions with the apps, effectively aiming to force ByteDance to divest its U.S. assets. While those initial efforts faced legal hurdles, the Biden administration continued to scrutinize TikTok, ultimately leading to the current negotiations.
While the document’s authenticity has not been independently verified by all sources, several news outlets have reported on its existence and are working to confirm its legitimacy. Further details regarding the agreement’s specifics, including financial terms and the extent of Oracle’s control, are expected to be released in the coming days. The deal still requires approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United states (CFIUS) and could face further legal challenges.
