Key Points:
- Trump signs an order to push a TikTok U.S. sale. Bidders must meet strict data rules under a 2024 law.
- The White House puts the deal value near $14 billion. A new U.S. unit will hold the app and its users.
- Talks with Beijing still go on this month. U.S. teams will watch the code and guard user data.
President Donald Trump has signed a fresh order. It tells TikTok’s Chinese owners to sell the U.S. arm. Reuters first shared the move with new detail. The law from 2024 set this plan in motion.
The order sets a clear path for the app. Buyers must meet U.S. national security rules at once. The White House says the new U.S. firm will form. It will own, run, and grow TikTok in the States.
Order sets TikTok divest plan and security checks
Vice President James Vance spoke at the Oval Office. He said the new U.S. unit could be worth $14 billion. “We think it is a good deal for investors,” he said. He added that investors will judge the price by themselves.
The White House also moved the time line a bit. It pushed the full force date to 20 January. That gives room for the sale talks and China chats. Vance said China pushed back but the talks still move.
He then set out what the order now needs. U.S. partners will watch how the app stores data. They will guide fresh tests on the app’s code. The U.S. unit will run the code day to day. A joint group of big names will back the work.
Talks with China and investor line-up
Trump said he spoke with President Xi Jinping. “We had a good talk,” he told newsmen. “I told him the plan. He said go ahead.” Trump also said the app helped him win the vote. He holds 15 million fans on his TikTok page.
“This will be U.S. run all the way,” Trump said. He named Michael Dell as one top backer. He named Rupert Murdoch as a likely backer too. He teased four or five more “world-class” names for the group.
The deal also speaks to TikTok’s huge reach. Fans still recall a noisy Whitemoney TikTok live row that drew wild views this month. That clip showed how fast one live chat can shape talk.
Vance stressed one key goal through the whole brief. “We want TikTok to keep running here,” he said. “We must also guard U.S. users’ data by law,” he added. The sale plan aims to hit both targets this year.
The geo mood also colours these talks right now. In Africa, leaders’ kids even use TikTok to speak. A recent Brenda Biya TikTok call stirred debates on power and change. Such clips show how wide the app’s pulse now beats.
For users, nothing changes today on the feed. The app still opens, loads, and runs like before. For bid teams, the window is open, yet short. The clock now runs toward the January cut-off date.
