• Trump identifies key potential investors in TikTok's US operations, including Murdochs and Dell.
• Oracle is set to oversee data security, with American investors controlling most of TikTok’s board.
• A December deadline looms for finalizing the divestiture from ByteDance to comply with US law.
• Negotiations have seen progress amid a backdrop of US-China diplomatic relations.
• Concerns remain over the implications of the deal for free expression on the platform.

US President Donald Trump has announced that prominent billionaires, including media moguls Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, tech CEO Michael Dell, and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, could be part of a consortium acquiring TikTok's US operations. Trump emphasized these individuals as "American patriots," expressing confidence in their capabilities to manage operations effectively, highlighting their influence and business acumen in the process, as revealed in interviews on Fox News HuffPost and South China Morning Post.

The proposed deal comes in response to US legislation requiring TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US assets, with Trump stating that the agreement aligns with national security interests. The White House confirmed that Oracle will oversee data security for TikTok's US operations, ensuring that American investors will control six of the planned seven board seats Channel News Asia and BBC.

According to reports, a significant portion of TikTok's US operations will be owned by American investors, with ByteDance's stake dipping to below 20% to comply with the new law. This structural change raises concerns over potential influences on content moderation and political narratives, bringing discussions about censorship and media influence to the forefront Bangkok Post and Al Jazeera.

As negotiations progress toward a deal closure by mid-December, Trump indicated that an executive order affirming this arrangement as compliant with US laws would be signed imminently. This oversight aims to further separate TikTok's US services from its Chinese operations while navigating the intricate landscape of international trade negotiations South China Morning Post and Dawn.