Trump Declares “I Saved TikTok” in Oval Office Comeback Video
US President Donald Trump made a high-profile return to TikTok, claiming credit for preserving the app’s future in the United States. In a video posted from behind the Resolute Desk, he addressed his 15 million followers directly.
“To all of those young people of TikTok, I saved TikTok, so you owe me big,” Trump said, flashing a grin. “And now, you’re looking at me in the Oval Office. Someday, one of you is going to be sitting right at this desk—and you’re going to be doing a great job also.”
The post is his first since signing an executive order on September 25 that ensures TikTok can continue operating under new, majority-American ownership. The approved deal transfers TikTok’s U.S. assets to a consortium of American investors, with Oracle taking charge of data security and algorithm operations.
Under the terms, U.S. investors will hold approximately 80% of the company, while Chinese parent company ByteDance retains a minority stake of 20% or less. Governance will shift decisively toward U.S. control, with American investors holding most board seats. ByteDance will be limited to one seat and excluded from national security committees.
The agreement ends months of uncertainty over the app’s fate. Previous legislation under President Joe Biden had required ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations or face a ban. The Trump administration extended several operating deadlines before finalizing the current arrangement.
TikTok, with 170 million U.S. users, has become a significant political platform. The president’s account, which now has 15 million followers, played a notable role in engaging younger voters during his re-election campaign.
Vice President JD Vance also rejoined the platform, relaunching his own TikTok page with a promise to blend political updates with humor. “I got a little lazy the last few months—was focused on the job of being VP and not on TikTok,” Vance joked in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Follow along over on TikTok for more updates from the White House, and maybe even some sombrero memes.”
