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President Donald Trump moved decisively on September 25, 2025, signing an executive order that green-lighted a proposed sale structure to keep TikTok operating in the United States while addressing national security concerns, a move conservatives should applaud for putting American interests first. The White House put a $14 billion value on the U.S. operation and framed the plan as a way to ensure U.S. control over American user data and the app’s critical systems. This is the kind of bold, results-oriented leadership voters asked for — not endless dithering and weak handshakes.
Behind the deal are heavy-hitting private investors, with Oracle and private equity firm Silver Lake publicly named, and reports that titans like Larry Ellison, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Dell could play significant roles in the ownership group. These are accomplished, patriotic businessmen who understand the value of American technological sovereignty, and their involvement signals the private sector is stepping up where federal bureaucracy often fails. Let the left accuse billionaires of greed all they want — when national security and free speech are at stake, successful capitalists are often the first to stand in defense.
Yet the structure does not pretend to be a simple handoff: credible reporting shows ByteDance is slated to retain less than 20 percent of the new U.S. entity but still appears positioned to have a major operational role if the arrangement is not tightly enforced. That should trigger red flags for every patriot who remembers the risks of foreign influence over American information streams; any arrangement that leaves Beijing an axe to grind over content or data must be scrutinized and limited. We must insist on ironclad safeguards so that American users’ data and the recommendation engine are truly under U.S. control, not a paper-thin illusion of independence.
Conservatives should also demand answers about the valuation and deal mechanics — the administration’s $14 billion figure sits far below many analyst estimates that previously placed the U.S. business at $30 to $40 billion, and questions remain about how revenue and algorithm licensing will be handled. The American people deserve transparency, not smoke-and-mirrors accounting that could shortchange U.S. taxpayers and consumers while preserving foreign leverage. If this is going to be framed as a patriotic rescue, the terms must reflect true market value and real American control, not a sweetheart arrangement for insiders.
There is also the sticky reality that one investor, MGX — linked to Abu Dhabi’s ruling circles — is reported to be in the mix with a meaningful stake and a board seat, which should make every freedom-loving American wary of swapping one foreign influence for another. While Gulf allies are better partners than the Chinese Communist Party, this is not an open bar for foreign actors to step into the guardian role over a vanishingly influential American media platform. Congress and the administration must explain why any non-U.S. sovereign-linked entity would be given a foothold in what is supposed to be an “American” solution.
Finally, patriotic Americans should cheer the result so long as it truly secures data, defends free expression, and breaks CCP control — but remain vigilant. China’s sign-off and multiple regulatory approvals are still required, meaning this deal can and should be conditioned on verifiable, enforceable guarantees that the algorithm, data flows, and content controls are fully insulated from foreign interference. If Republicans mean what they say about protecting the homeland and preserving free speech, now is the time to turn applause into oversight, legislation, and teeth.
