Key Points
- TikTok hired Ziad Ojakli as head of public policy for the Americas.
- Ojakli previously managed government affairs for Boeing.
- ByteDance is racing to sell 80% of TikTok’s U.S. assets. A 2024 law regarding national security requires the sale.
- President Trump set a deadline of late January to finish the deal.
TikTok has brought in a heavy hitter to handle its rocky relationship with Washington. On Tuesday, the company announced it has hired Ziad Ojakli, the former government affairs chief at Boeing, as its new head of public policy for the Americas. This major staffing move comes at a critical moment, as the popular video app races to separate from its Chinese parent company before time runs out.
Ojakli steps into the role with a massive task ahead. He needs to navigate the complex political landscape in D.C. while TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, works to sell off a majority stake in the app’s American operations. The company is currently trying to offload about 80% of its U.S. assets to a group of investors. This sale is not voluntary; it is a legal requirement driven by national security concerns.
The pressure stems from a 2024 law that forced ByteDance to divest the U.S. portion of its business or face a nationwide ban. Lawmakers worry that the Chinese ownership poses a risk to American user data.
To enforce this, President Donald Trump signed an executive order in September that set a strict deadline. The company has until late January to finalize the deal with the consortium of U.S. and global buyers.
By hiring Ojakli, TikTok is signaling that it is taking these government demands seriously. Ojakli is a veteran of corporate lobbying and political strategy. Before his time at Boeing, he spent years at Ford Motor Company and served in the White House during the George W. Bush administration. His experience suggests TikTok wants someone who knows exactly how to talk to regulators and the White House during this sensitive transition.
The next few months are make-or-break for the platform. If ByteDance cannot close the deal by the January deadline, the app could go dark for millions of American users. Ojakli’s job will be to smooth the waters and ensure the government is satisfied with the separation terms so the app can stay online.
