**U.S. and China Reach Agreement on TikTok: Key Details and Implications**
In a significant development in the ongoing saga surrounding TikTok’s future in the United States, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced new details on Saturday about a long-anticipated deal between the U.S. and China. The arrangement is designed to resolve national security concerns and ensure that American interests are prioritized in the governance and operation of the immensely popular social media platform.
### Structure of the TikTok Deal
According to Leavitt, the agreement centers on American control and oversight of TikTok’s U.S. operations. Central to the deal is the formation of a new board to oversee TikTok’s activities in the United States. This board will consist of seven members, six of whom will be American citizens. Leavitt emphasized, “This deal does put America first,” asserting that the board composition guarantees majority American ownership and control. The identities of the six American board members have not yet been disclosed, and no details have been provided on how they will be selected or what their backgrounds might be.
Further, the deal stipulates that critical aspects of TikTok’s technology and data security will fall under American jurisdiction. Notably, Oracle—a major U.S. technology company co-founded by Larry Ellison—will be tasked with managing data privacy and security for the app. This means that user data generated by TikTok’s U.S. audience will be stored and protected by Oracle, addressing longstanding fears that such data could be accessed by Chinese authorities. In addition, the U.S. will retain control over TikTok’s algorithm, the proprietary technology that determines what content users see on the platform. The specifics of how this control will be exercised, and who precisely will have oversight over the algorithm, remain unclear at this stage.
The White House has not yet responded to further questions regarding the makeup of the board or the operational details of algorithm management. Likewise, TikTok has not issued an official comment on the arrangement.
### High-Profile Involvement and Financial Backers
President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, highlighted that the American investors who will serve on TikTok’s board are distinguished figures. “It’s also controlled by very powerful and very substantial American people, all American, by the way, all American people,” Trump stated, suggesting that the board will be comprised of individuals with significant financial clout and public recognition. Although he did not name these individuals, Trump’s comments indicate that the administration views their involvement as both a sign of legitimacy and a safeguard for U.S. interests.
### The Road to the Deal: Timeline and Political Context
The journey to this deal has been marked by considerable political and legal maneuvering. U.S. officials have long expressed concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ownership—specifically, the risk that its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, might be compelled to share American user data with the Chinese government or allow Chinese authorities to influence the content Americans see. These apprehensions led to bipartisan legislative action and repeated executive interventions.
In January, TikTok faced a temporary shutdown in the United States, just days before President Trump’s second term began. This action was prompted by a law passed with bipartisan support and signed by then-President Joe Biden in 2023. The law banned TikTok from operating in the U.S. unless it was sold to an American company, reflecting persistent anxiety over foreign control of critical digital infrastructure.
Despite this legislative push, Trump, prior to being sworn in for his second term, indicated he would not enforce the law’s penalties so long as TikTok continued to operate in the country. Throughout his presidency, he has repeatedly used executive orders to extend temporary reprieves for TikTok, allowing negotiations to continue and the app to remain accessible to its more than 170 million American users.
The current deal is the culmination of months of negotiations, including a recent meeting between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese officials in Madrid. Bessent announced last week that a framework for the agreement had been reached, paving the way for Saturday’s announcement.
### National Security and Data Privacy at the Forefront
A driving force behind the U.S. government’s actions has been the need to address national security and data privacy risks associated with TikTok’s Chinese ownership. U.S. officials have consistently voiced concerns that ByteDance could be required by Chinese law to hand over American user data or manipulate TikTok’s algorithm to influence public opinion