The White House has announced progress on a deal with China over TikTok’s U.S. operations, aiming to secure American control of the app’s powerful algorithm and governance.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday that the framework ensures U.S. companies will manage the algorithm behind TikTok’s feed, while Americans will hold six out of seven board seats overseeing U.S. operations. Oracle, the U.S. tech giant, has been tapped to handle TikTok’s data and security, though the company declined to comment.
Leavitt emphasized in a Fox News interview: “The algorithm will also be controlled by America as well.”
The announcement follows years of back-and-forth between Washington and Beijing, with lawmakers previously advancing legislation for a potential TikTok ban. While the law called for a January shutdown, President Donald Trump repeatedly issued extensions while working toward a deal.
Trump confirmed he discussed the TikTok deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a lengthy phone call, noting, “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.”
He added that Xi had been “a gentleman” during talks but admitted, “It’s all being worked out. We’re going to have very good control.”
Despite these assurances, Beijing has not publicly clarified whether it supports ByteDance selling a controlling stake, leaving the final structure of the agreement uncertain.
Concerns about TikTok’s algorithm have long driven the debate. U.S. officials warn that the system, which curates what millions of Americans watch daily, could be manipulated by Chinese authorities in ways that are nearly invisible to users.
Leavitt stressed that Trump “recognized the need to protect Americans’ privacy and data while also keeping this app open,” calling TikTok “a vital part of our democratic process.”
A recent Pew Research Center survey revealed shifting public sentiment: about one-third of Americans currently back a TikTok ban, down from 50% in March 2023. Another third oppose a ban, while the rest remain undecided. Among supporters of a ban, roughly 8 in 10 cited data security risks as their primary concern.
Leavitt concluded with optimism about the timeline: “We are 100% confident that a deal is done, now that deal just needs to be signed… And that will be happening, I anticipate, in the coming days.”