by SARAH KHALIL
TikTok US was sold for $14bn to pro-Israel billionaires and Abu Dhabi royals, sparking fears of censorship of content about Gaza
TikTok’s future in the US has finally been settled after years of legal battles, congressional hearings, and behind-the-scenes negotiations.
Under a new $14 billion deal brokered by President Donald Trump, the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has been forced to spin off its US arm into a separate entity controlled by a consortium of American billionaires and Gulf royals.
On paper, the deal is about national security and data privacy; however, in practice, it appears to be about power and control of one of the most influential platforms for young people in the world, and how it will shape political narratives, particularly on Israel.
TikTok’s role in broadcasting images of Israel’s war on Gaza and the way that has shifted American public opinion has been central to the pressure campaign that forced this sale.
The new owners include some of the most prominent pro-Israel billionaires in the US, alongside a fund run by Abu Dhabi’s ruling family.
Why is TikTok being sold?
The legal framework dates back to 2024, when Congress overwhelmingly passed a law requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok’s US operations or face a nationwide ban. The Supreme Court upheld the law in January 2025.
Lawmakers presented the TikTok crackdown as a national security matter, citing fears that China could access sensitive data, but some observers said it was about controlling narratives on Israel following the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
The platform has been flooded with videos showing indiscriminate Israeli bombardment of the enclave, civilian casualties, especially children, and Gaza solidarity marches around the world – for the first time, raw Palestinian voices were reaching tens of millions of young Americans in real time.
By October-November 2023, members of Congress were explicitly targeting TikTok over its Gaza coverage, with Senators Josh Hawley and Marco Rubio, and Representative Mike Gallagher calling for banning the app, citing pro-Palestinian and “anti-Israel” content.
House Republicans, including Cathy McMorris Rodgers, demanded transparency from TikTok over alleged “antisemitic and pro-Hamas” content.
The Wall Street Journal reported in December 2023 that anger over Gaza videos was one of the key drivers of the new push to ban TikTok. Senator Hawley explicitly pointed to “anti-Israel content” as a reason to outlaw the app.
In September 2024, a detailed summary of lawmakers’ accusations circulated in Washington, alleging TikTok’s algorithm was “biased against Israel”.
What are the terms of the deal?
Trump signed an executive order in September 2025 outlining the divestiture. Under the deal, ByteDance will retain less than 20 percent ownership, while American investors will control just over 65 percent.
Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX together will hold about 45 percent.
All US user data will be stored domestically on Oracle’s cloud infrastructure. Oracle will also license TikTok’s recommendation engine, cutting off Beijing’s access.
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