TikTok Makes a Deal: Fmr. TikTok CEO & Signals from Beijing 12/19/25

Squawk Pod

CNBC

Business News, News, Investing, Business

4.2 • 543 Ratings

🗓️ 19 December 2025

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

After years of debate and scrutiny, TikTok has signed an agreement for a new U.S. joint venture. By January 22, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC will be managed by three investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX. Former TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer joins CNBC’s Beijing Bureau Chief Eunice Yoon to discuss the implications of this deal for geopolitics and data safety. Executive wine editor of Food & Wine Ray Isle brings his holiday sips to set, including recommendations at varying price points and varying ABVs. Amid tariffs and a growing nonalcoholic beverage trend, Isle says the wine industry has always been cyclical. Plus, Barack Obama’s 2025 list of favorite books includes a familiar title, and the Trump administration continues its Fed Chair interviews. Steve Liesman - 05:51 Kevin Mayer & Eunice Yoon - 15:40 Ray Isle - 24:22 In this episode: Steve Liesman, @steveliesman Eunice Yoon, @onlyyoontv Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Transcript

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0:00.0	Bring in show music, please.
0:04.3	Hi, I'm CNBC producer Katie Kramer.
0:07.1	Today on Squawk Pod.
0:09.9	TikTok's reached a deal.
0:11.4	After years of scrutiny, the social media app
0:13.9	avoids a ban in the United States,
0:16.4	thanks to a joint venture we kind of saw coming.
0:19.4	Former TikTok CEO, Kevin Mayer.
0:21.7	I heard that the algorithm, although still owned and the code being owned by China, it's going to be licensed.
0:27.4	And our China reporter, Eunice Yunn.
0:29.6	The signaling that we're getting in the state media is that this has Beijing's approval.
0:35.4	Then we dive into the world of wine
0:38.4	with Food and Wines Ray Isle, tariffs, non-alcoholic demand,
0:41.8	and expensive tastes.
0:43.9	Affordable is in the eye the beholder.
0:46.1	His recommendations for your holiday tables, $24 and up.
0:50.5	You must be one of the most popular party guests
0:52.8	to have this time of year.
0:59.7	Plus, the president's real-life apprentice for next Fed chair continues with candidate interviews,
1:04.7	and a favorite book of ours makes it onto another high-profile reading list.
1:08.3	Who did this? Are you responsible for this? I did not.
1:11.0	1929, one of Barack Obama's picks for best books of the year.
	...

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