The future of TikTok in the United States has become one of the most watched political and business stories of the year and Donald Trump has inserted himself squarely at the center of it. This week, Trump revealed that media moguls Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, alongside billionaire Michael Dell, could be involved in a sweeping plan to bring TikTok under American control.

At the heart of the deal sits Oracle, the tech company long tied to Trump’s administration and his business allies. Oracle is slated to handle TikTok’s U.S. user data and oversee security operations, a role designed to satisfy Washington’s national security concerns about ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company.

Supporters say this plan would protect American users while keeping the app accessible to the 170 million Americans who use it daily. But critics see something else: a handpicked group of Trump-connected billionaires carving up one of the world’s most influential social media platforms for their own benefit.

TikTok has long been a lightning rod in U.S.-China relations. For Trump, the deal offers a way to showcase his ability to broker high-stakes business arrangements while presenting himself as the only leader willing to stand up to Beijing. Yet as the details take shape, many are questioning whether this move is about security — or about consolidating media and tech power under Trump-friendly players.

The negotiations are still underway, but one thing is clear: TikTok’s fate in America is no longer just a tech issue. It has become a symbol of global rivalry, billionaire influence, and Trump’s vision of America’s digital future.