Fox Corp could help lead U.S. group to buy TikTok operations

Fox Corporation is in discussions to join an investor consortium seeking to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The talks come as the future of the social media platform remains at the center of national security and political debate.

The potential investment would reportedly come from Fox itself, rather than a personal stake by CEO Lachlan Murdoch or a related investment by News Corp. The move follows Rupert Murdoch’s recent consolidation of leadership across the family-controlled media empire.

Former President Donald Trump suggested that both Lachlan Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch could be involved in the investor group. Trump also named Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell as potential participants.

Over the weekend, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that any U.S.-based TikTok entity would be overseen by a seven-member board with six American representatives. Oracle is expected to manage U.S. user data and the platform’s algorithm, extending its existing cloud services relationship with TikTok.

The developments follow a recent phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which China signaled approval for negotiations. A statement from state-run Xinhua emphasized that deals should comply with Chinese law while also balancing international business interests.

The U.S. government has mandated that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, divest its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. The Supreme Court upheld the law in the final months of Joe Biden’s presidency. Trump, however, has repeatedly extended the timeline for a sale while pursuing an agreement with American investors.