Oracle has emerged as a key organization in the running to oversee TikTok’s U.S. operations. Politico reported the White House is in discussions with Oracle on a deal that would give the company oversight over TikTok’s U.S. data, and task Oracle with keeping that information walled off from the Chinese government.
That agreement would also keep ByteDance’s signature algorithm, which controls the posts TikTok users see, Politico suggests. That’s raised concerns about how well the future deal will address lawmakers’ national security concerns about ByteDance’s Chinese ownership—the basis for the ban in the first place—with confidential sources cited by Politico suggesting the deal could result in vulnerabilities that would allow China access to TikTok data, given that ByteDance would still be involved. (TikTok has long denied any wrongdoing or ties to the Chinese government.)
Vice President JD Vance and national security adviser Mike Waltz, the two officials President Donald Trump has tasked with shepherding a deal to bring TikTok under U.S. ownership, are taking the lead in negotiations, while senators have voiced a desire to be read in on any talks, reported Politco.
Vance, during an interview with NBC News, said he was hopeful a TikTok deal would be reached by the early April deadline. Last week, Trump said that his administration was in talks with “four different groups” about a deal.