Trump Signs Executive Order Declaring TikTok Divestiture Plan Qualified; ByteDance Stake to Fall Below 20 Percent

On September 25, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14352 at the White House in Washington, determining that the proposed divestiture of TikTok's U.S. business into a newly established U.S. joint venture under a framework agreement is a "qualified divestiture" under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, allowing TikTok to keep operating in the United States.

Under the order, the joint venture will be based in the United States, majority-owned and controlled by U.S. persons, and operated in the United States, while the Chinese company ByteDance and its affiliates will hold less than 20 percent. ByteDance may choose only one director of the seven-seat board and is excluded from the company's security committee. Board members must have national security and cybersecurity credentials.

The order places operation of TikTok's algorithm, code, and content moderation decisions under the joint venture's control. Sensitive U.S. user data may not be stored in a way that would put it under a foreign adversary's control and must be stored in a cloud environment in the United States run by the American company Oracle. Recommendation models that use U.S. user data must be retrained and monitored by trusted U.S. security partners. Oracle will also act as TikTok's security provider, independently monitoring the safety of its U.S. operations.

About 170 million Americans use TikTok, according to the order. Mr. Trump directed the Attorney General not to enforce the Act for 120 days so the divestiture can be completed. The interagency review of the framework was led by the Vice President, with the National Security Council, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Treasury, Justice, and Commerce Departments and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence taking part.

Congress passed the Act in 2024 (Division H of Public Law 118-50), requiring TikTok to separate from its Chinese parent, ByteDance, or face removal from U.S. app stores. Mr. Trump had already signed four orders this year delaying enforcement, on January 20, April 4, June 19, and September 16, the most recent extending the delay to December 16, 2025.

The White House said in its fact sheet that preserving TikTok's business would generate $178 billion in economic activity in the United States over the next four years and sustain thousands of U.S. jobs and businesses.

Related: Trump Signs Executive Order Extending TikTok Enforcement Delay to June 19; TikTok's U.S. Joint Venture Closes; Shou Zi Chew Remains Global CEO and Joins Its Board

(Source: The White House)

Source: The White House

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: GSM 行政令统一模板（美国总统行政令）

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