President Donald Trump signed an executive order approving a $14 billion deal for TikTok’s US operations, involving a coalition of American investors and the Abu Dhabi royal family, amid ongoing national security concerns over ByteDance’s Chinese ownership. The agreement, finalized after repeated deadline extensions to avert a ban, grants majority control to US entities while allowing ByteDance to retain a 19.9% stake. Key players include Oracle founder Larry Ellison, Silver Lake private equity, Dell CEO Michael Dell, Rupert Murdoch’s Fox, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX—chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan—which will secure a 15% stake and a board seat, collectively holding about 45% with American firms owning over 65% overall. Trump hailed the investors as “highly sophisticated” and emphasized that the platform will be “American-operated all the way,” complying with a 2024 congressional law mandating divestiture or shutdown.The valuation has drawn scrutiny for being far below ByteDance’s $330 billion overall worth and analyst estimates for the US arm, raising questions about data security and potential Chinese influence despite assurances. Vice President JD Vance touted the deal as enhancing user confidence, stating it ensures “their data is going to be secure and it’s not going to be used as a propaganda weapon,” though China’s approval remains uncertain—Trump claimed a positive discussion with President Xi Jinping, but Vance noted “some resistance on the Chinese side.” The 120-day window to close the transaction underscores the geopolitical tensions in US-China tech relations, potentially reshaping global social media dynamics while preserving access for TikTok’s 170 million American users.