On February 3, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a sovereign wealth fund, which he said could be used to acquire Chinese short-video app TikTok. The move has sparked widespread criticism, as it suggests the government could use its money to invest in private companies, including in technology assets.

According to Reuters, the fund could be part of a broader US strategy to use public money to invest in private companies. If the fund is created, the US would join a number of other countries, such as those in the Middle East and Asia, that already have similar mechanisms for investing through sovereign wealth funds.

The order does not provide many specific details, but it gives the Treasury and Commerce departments 90 days to develop a plan for the fund. The plan should outline aspects such as financing mechanisms, investment strategies, the fund’s structure and governance model. This creates a basis for further analysis of the possibility of acquiring companies such as TikTok.

The interest in creating such a fund has not only an economic aspect, but also a political one. The United States currently has a budget deficit, so the introduction of such a fund would require additional funding. This issue is likely to require congressional approval, since such investment initiatives can affect public finances.

Donald Trump has previously discussed the concept of a public investment fund, stating that such a fund could be used to finance large national projects such as highway construction, airport development, investments in medical research and other infrastructure initiatives.

However, representatives of the US administration did not provide specific statements on how exactly this fund would be financed. Trump previously noted that its replenishment could be carried out through additional “tariffs and other reasonable mechanisms”, which raises the question of the possible role of trade measures in financing such initiatives.

Finance Minister Scott Bessant confirmed that the fund will be established within the next 12 months, and indicated that its implementation will be an important step for the development of the national economy and technological investment.