Oracle-Led Consortium’s TikTok Acquisition: Larry Ellison’s Power Grab Raises Alarms

In a deal that has sparked widespread controversy, Oracle Corporation, co-founded by billionaire Larry Ellison, is spearheading a consortium of U.S. investors to seize an 80% stake in TikTok’s U.S. operations. Announced on September 16, 2025, by President Donald Trump, this arrangement restructures TikTok’s American business into a standalone U.S. entity amid persistent debates over data privacy and alleged Chinese influence via parent company ByteDance. However, critics argue the move less resolves genuine security issues and more consolidates power in the hands of Ellison, a figure with a troubling history in surveillance and media dominance.