'What could possibly go wrong?' Outrage as Trump announces the Murdochs could own TikTok

In an interview on Fox News aired Sunday, President Donald Trump said that conservative media moguls Lachlan Murdoch and his father Rupert Murdoch are expected to join a U.S.-based investor group that would assume control of TikTok’s U.S. operations.

Trump also named tech figures Larry Ellison and Michael Dell as likely partners in the deal.

“I hate to tell you this, but a man named Lachlan is involved. Lachlan is, that’s a very unusual name, Lachlan Murdoch,” Trump told Fox's Peter Dpocy.

“And Rupert is probably going to be in the group. I think they’re going to be in the group.”

The deal stems from the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), passed in April last year. Under that law, ByteDance (TikTok’s Chinese parent) must divest its interests in TikTok’s U.S. operations by a set deadline, or the app faces a ban in the United States.

Lachlan Murdoch is chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation, which owns conservative network Fox News and several other media assets. He recently consolidated his control over the family media holdings.

Rupert Murdoch is the elder Murdoch, the veteran media tycoon. He founded or built much of what is now Fox News, Fox Corporation, News Corp, etc.

The president's announcement led to strong reactions on social media.

Activist Melanie D'Arrigo wrote: "Trump’s mega-donors, and the owners of Fox News, will control what you see on TikTok. Elon Musk, who gave Trump $290M, controls what you see on X. Trump mega-donor Mark Zuckerberg controls what you see on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Social media is now a right-wing op."

Journalist Jeremy Barr noted: "Trump seems to have broken the news that Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch are 'probably' going to be part of the TikTok group."

Podcaster and former Obama advisor Tommy Vietor wrote: "To sum it up: - Murdochs and Trump supporters will own TikTok - Elon Musk owns Twitter - Mark Zuckerberg is an amoral choad who is for whoever is in power - Bari Weiss will run CBS News - ABC bends the knee to any threat - MSNBC is dying Look at all the liberal media bias!"

Influencer Hayden Clarkin wrote: "TikTok owned by Fox News, what could possibly go wrong?"