WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump has signed an executive ordercertifying that his plan to spin off TikTok's U.S. operations to American and global investors would meet national security requirements under a 2024 law.

The order delays the enforcement of the law banning the app until January 20 unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells. It marks progress toward creating a new U.S.-run entity but leaves major questions unresolved, particularly over control of TikTok's powerful recommendation algorithm.

Vice President JD Vance said the new U.S. company would be valued at about US$14 billion, far below some analyst estimates. "We wanted to keep TikTok operating, but we also wanted to make sure that we protected Americans' data privacy as required by law," Vance told reporters. Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had signaled approval of the plan.

The algorithm would be retrained and monitored by U.S. security partners, with its operation overseen by the joint venture, Trump's order said. But analysts noted the lack of clarity. "The president has certified the deal, but he has not provided a lot of information on the algorithm," said Alan Rozenshtein, a law professor at the University of Minnesota.

Trump credited TikTok, which has 170 million U.S. users, with helping him win reelection. He has 15 million followers on his own account, while the White House recently launched an official account. "This is going to be American-operated all the way," Trump said, naming Dell founder Michael Dell and media mogul Rupert Murdoch among potential investors.

Still, Chinese media suggested ByteDance would retain a role. LatePost reported the company would establish a U.S. arm responsible for e-commerce and branding, while Caixin said it would continue to receive revenue from the venture. ByteDance did not comment.

Two sources familiar with the deal said Oracle and private-equity firm Silver Lake will take about a 50 percent stake in TikTok U.S., while existing ByteDance shareholders such as Susquehanna International Group, General Atlantic, and KKR will hold roughly 30 percent. The rest will go to new investors, with Abu Dhabi-based MGX also reported as a participant. ByteDance itself will keep under 20 percent, which is in line with the 2024 law.

Republican lawmakers urged scrutiny. "We must ensure this deal protects American users from the influence and surveillance of CCP-aligned groups," Representatives Brett Guthrie, Gus Bilirakis, and Richard Hudson said.

Trump emphasized that the deal secures U.S. control of TikTok while keeping the app alive. "I told President Xi what we were doing, and he said, go ahead with it," he said.