President Trump just dropped names on the TikTok rescue operation, confirming media moguls Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch are "probably" joining the investor group buying the app from ByteDance. The revelation came during a Fox News interview Sunday, adding heavyweight media players to a deal that's reshaping social media ownership in America.
The TikTok rescue just got its biggest media endorsement yet. President Trump confirmed Sunday that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch are "probably gonna be in the group" buying TikTok's U.S. operations, delivering the kind of star power that could finally close this months-long saga.
"A man named Lachlan is involved," Trump told Fox News during his weekend interview blitz. "Lachlan Murdoch... Rupert [Murdoch] is probably gonna be in the group, I think they're going to be in the group."
The timing wasn't coincidental. Hours after Trump's comments, Deadline confirmed that Fox Corp - the media empire run by CEO Lachlan Murdoch and chaired by his father Rupert - is actively negotiating to join the investor consortium. It's a move that brings serious media industry credibility to what's become the most watched tech deal in Washington.
Trump also name-dropped Oracle's Larry Ellison and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell as likely participants, painting a picture of Silicon Valley's biggest names rallying around the short-form video platform that nearly went dark in January.
The deal's structure is taking shape rapidly. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed Saturday that Americans will control six of seven board seats in the restructured TikTok, with the app's algorithm moving under U.S. control. "All of those details have already been agreed upon, now we just need this deal to be signed," Leavitt said during her own Fox News appearance.
Bloomberg reports the investor group includes Oracle (handling security and safety), Andreessen Horowitz, and Silver Lake Management, with ByteDance retaining less than 20% ownership. It's a dramatic reversal for the Chinese company that built TikTok into America's most addictive app.
This weekend's developments cap off a regulatory rollercoaster that began with last year's federal legislation mandating TikTok's sale or ban. The app briefly went dark in January before Trump's inauguration, then flickered back to life as the new administration promised extensions. Trump's repeated deadline pushes bought negotiators crucial time to assemble this all-star investor lineup.
The Murdoch involvement adds fascinating complexity to TikTok's future editorial direction. Fox Corp's news operations have been critical of TikTok's Chinese ownership, yet now the company appears ready to profit from the platform's American transformation. It's the kind of strategic pivot that defines modern media empires.
Trump's Friday claim that Chinese President Xi Jinping "approved the deal" seems to have unlocked final negotiations. TikTok itself issued a rare joint statement thanking both leaders "for their efforts to preserve TikTok in the United States." ByteDance followed up with assurances it would "work in accordance with applicable laws to ensure TikTok remains available to American users."
The Oracle partnership particularly matters for TikTok's technical future. Larry Ellison's company already handles TikTok's U.S. data storage through its "Project Texas" initiative, making Oracle the natural choice for expanded security oversight. Having Dell Technologies in the mix suggests the new TikTok might get significant infrastructure upgrades.
What makes this deal unprecedented isn't just the price tag - it's the speed of execution under political pressure. Most tech acquisitions take months of due diligence. This one's being negotiated in real-time with congressional deadlines and presidential tweets driving the timeline.
The Murdoch participation also signals confidence in TikTok's advertising revenue potential under American ownership. Fox Corp knows media monetization better than most, and their willingness to invest suggests they see massive upside in a U.S.-controlled TikTok free from regulatory uncertainty.
The Murdoch family's entry transforms TikTok's rescue from a tech deal into a media industry power play. With Fox Corp's news credibility, Oracle's security infrastructure, and Trump's political backing, this investor group has the tools to navigate both regulatory hurdles and public skepticism. The final signatures expected this week will determine whether America's most controversial app gets its second act under homegrown ownership.
