TikTok algorithm to be retrained on US user data under Trump deal

TikTok's algorithm, the technology that determines what users see in their feed, will be copied and retrained using U.S. user data as part of a deal to secure the app's future in the United States, according to White House officials. Oracle will audit the recommendation system and inspect the source code, and a new joint venture controlled by U.S. investors would operate TikTok for American users, the officials said.

The White House said the agreement would be a win for U.S. users and citizens. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order later this week outlining how the deal would comply with national security requirements, and the order would pause enforcement for 120 days to give time for the deal to close. It remained unclear whether the Chinese government has approved the agreement or begun the regulatory steps required to deliver it. Data belonging to about 170 million U.S. users is already stored on Oracle servers under an arrangement known as Project Texas, which was designed to keep U.S. user data out of reach of the Chinese government.

Under the deal, TikTok would take a comprehensive role in securing the app for American users, including auditing and inspecting the source code and the recommendation system and rebuilding it for U.S. users using only U.S. data. Oracle’s involvement in such capacity has long been the subject of chatter, and the company has seen rising demand for its data centers from AI-focused firms. The talks also involve private equity firm Silver Lake, which has investments in various technology companies.

White House officials said the new joint venture would seek “patriotic investors” and board members with cybersecurity expertise to oversee operations. They described the deal as potentially valued in the billions of dollars.

Comment requests to ByteDance and TikTok were not immediately answered, and it remains unclear whether the Chinese government has approved the agreement or begun the regulatory steps required to deliver it. Officials noted that timing and terms could change as negotiations continue. If implemented, the arrangement would mark one of the most stringent controls over a major social media platform in the United States and would shape how artificial intelligence-driven recommendations are managed for a widely used app.