Fox ‘in talks’ to join TikTok US takeover

• US President Donald Trump mentions Murdochs to be involved in deal
• Social platform has 170 million US users

Fox is in discussions to join a consortium set to buy out TikTok’s US operations, according to Deadline.

The short-form video platform has been subject to scrutiny by successive US administrations who believe links between parent company ByteDance and the Chinese government are grounds for national security concerns. 

Legislation banning the social network in the US unless ByteDance relinquished its controlling stake in its US business came into effect this year, although the deadline to find a buyer has since been extended on multiple occasions. 

Now an investor group reported to include Oracle chairman Larry Elison and Dell chief executive Michael Dell has been linked with a move, with US president Donald Trump suggesting Fox chairman emeritus Rupert Murdoch and the broadcaster’s chief executive Lachlan Murdoch were set to join the consortium. Deadline says any investment would come from Fox rather than the Murdoch family or the Murdoch-owned News Corp, which is a separate entity.

“I hate to tell you this – a man named Lachlan is involved. You know who Lachlan is? That’s a very unusual name, Lachlan Murdoch, Trump told Fox News. “Rupert is probably gonna be in the group, I think they’re gonna be in the group, a couple of others. Really great people. Very prominent people. And they’re also American patriots, they love this country, so I think they’re gonna do a really good job.”

Fox News has subsequently reported that a proposed deal for the TikTok’s US operations is expected to be approved later this week, with ByteDance retaining a 20 per cent stake. The White House says the joint venture will be run by a seven-person board of directors, including six Americans. She added that Oracle would become TikTok’s trusted security provider in partnership with the US government, and will operate a cloud that will hold data belonging to the app’s US users.

TikTok has become a major social channel for sports properties, athletes, broadcasters and brands given its huge popularity among younger demographics and the ability of the platform to find new audiences using its algorithmically-driven feed. Major leagues like the National Football League (NFL), LaLiga, and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) have entered official partnerships with the platform, while athletes like Coco Gauff and Ilona Maher have successfully grown their fanbases by creating content on the app.

Fox, like many broadcasters, also has created accounts on the platform, sharing clips of their sports coverage to millions of followers. 

Trump, who attempted to ban TikTok during his first term as president, has since reversed his position. His administration has made significant efforts to secure a deal for the platform, which he has attributed as a major part of his electoral success last year.

China and ByteDance have not confirmed if a deal has been agreed for TikTok. Prior to Trump’s comments, the Chinese government’s commerce ministry published a statement which read: ‘China’s position on TikTok is clear: The Chinese government respects the wishes of the enterprise, and welcomes it to carry out commercial negotiations in accordance with market rules to reach a solution compliant with China’s laws and regulations, and strikes a balance of interests.’

Credit: https://www.sportspro.com/news/tiktok-fox-us-sale-bytedance-donald-trump-murdochs-september-2025/