Investors reportedly being eyed to take over the app include Oracle, the tech firm owned by Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest people, and a major Trump supporter.
Leavitt seemed to confirm Oracle’s participation.
“The data and privacy will be led by one of America’s greatest tech companies, Oracle, and the algorithm will also be controlled by America as well,” she told Fox News.
“So all of those details have already been agreed upon. Now we just need this deal to be signed.”
Trump, when asked about the deal later by reporters at the White House, said: “We have great American patriots that are buying it. Very substantial people.”
He declined to say who the seventh board member would be, saying that would be announced at a later date.
Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the matter in a phone call on Friday. Trump said that Xi “approved” the deal during the phone call but then said: “We have to get it signed.”
China did not confirm any agreement.
“We’re going to have a very, very tight control,” Trump said. “There’s tremendous value with TikTok, and I’m a little prejudiced because I frankly did so well on it.”
The Wall Street Journal, quoting sources familiar with the talks, reported that the US government could receive a multi-billion-dollar fee from investors as part of the deal.
