Trump slams Oracle’s TikTok bid, already hit by national security concerns
- Issues include whether Chinese owner ByteDance will still have access to US user data
- President’s executive order on Chinese apps will not target WeChat users, US says
According to Bloomberg, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) has concluded that allowing Oracle to become TikTok’s “trusted tech partner” was not enough to address the popular video-sharing app’s access to data from its nearly 100 million US users.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was among those voicing concern, said Bloomberg, which cited anonymous sources. He and other officials remain wary about the proposed new ownership structure and how much influence it would give China over the company.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Trump said he had not been informed of CFIUS’ conclusion. “We’re looking into that from the standpoint of ByteDance. So, if that’s the case, I'm not going to be happy with that,” he said. “I mean just conceptually I can tell you I don’t like that.”
Discussions were continuing between administration officials and the companies, Bloomberg said, citing sources who asked not to be named because the talks are confidential.
01:46
Oracle reaches deal to become TikTok’s ‘technology partner’, after Microsoft offer is rejected
Trump has the authority to sign off on a deal, but national security officials’ concerns could sway his decision.