Could a sovereign wealth fund in the US save TikTok?

President Donald Trump signed an executive action on Monday that looks to establish a sovereign wealth fund in the United States, an unorthodox move for a country with towering national debt, says Ruth V. Aguilera, a Northeastern University business professor who studies the origins of sovereign wealth funds, their investment strategies all over the world and financial performance.

Among other uses for such a fund, Trump suggested it could be a vehicle for purchasing TikTok.

What is a sovereign wealth fund?

A sovereign wealth fund is an investment fund owned by a government and typically controlled by a central bank. Sovereign wealth funds usually rely on revenues from natural resources, chiefly oil—but also from metals and minerals, Aguilera says.

There are hundreds of such funds run by governments worldwide, some dating back many decades. Financial instruments meant for a “rainy day,” sovereign wealth funds enable nations to leverage surplus revenue for investments in national initiatives and other projects, Aguilera says.

“These are countries that usually have a lot of liquidity, meaning they have a lot of cash on hand,” she says.

Why are sovereign funds a hard sell?

But despite bipartisan support for the investment instrument (Joe Biden also mused about the possibility of starting a sovereign wealth fund while in office), the economics of a sovereign wealth fund in the United States might be a hard sell as its national debt teeters at a politically harrowing $36 trillion.

“We see these at the state level, where they are often sourced from oil,” Aguilera continues. “The big question as it relates to the federal government is, where is the liquidity going to come from?”

One possibility that’s been floated by Trump is to convert the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. into an organ that could function like a sovereign wealth fund. The shuffling of funds from various federal agencies may still need approval from Congress.

Another fund strategy floated by the Trump administration is to source the fund with private funds or government ownership in large companies.

Components of a prosperous fund

The key elements associated with successful funds are that they exhibit “good corporate governance,” have strong checks and balances and are independent of politics, Aguilera says.

“Sovereign wealth funds are meant to be stable, long-term investments, so they should be resilient to political cycles,” Aguilera says. “This is what concerns me about the creation of a sovereign wealth fund in the United States.

“It’s not a pension fund, it’s not a state-owned company, and it’s not like a Treasury bond—it’s a tool for the central bank to invest discretionary funds or excess cash.”

Examples of some successful models

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, the Government Pension Fund of Norway, boasts a valuation of $1.7 trillion, the largest in the world.

“It is very transparent and profitable,” Aguilera says. “They have a clear mandate on their investment strategy, and know when it needs to be rebalanced.”

Oil-rich nations such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait possess notable portfolios. Other nations’ funds, such as China’s and Singapore’s, include a mix of government-owned assets.

“The only circumstance under which the U.S. could have a national fund is if there are private investors who want to help develop the country,” Aguilera says. “But if this only adds to the national debt, then I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

What would a US fund look like?

It’s unclear precisely what structure the proposed sovereign wealth fund would take in the U.S. It could operate as a “strategic” fund that would help deploy the administration’s policies, Aguilera says—similar to the way Turkey’s sovereign wealth fund functions.

“We’re going to stand this thing up within the next 12 months. We’re going to monetize the asset side of the U.S. balance sheet for the American people,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday, according to CNBC. “There’ll be a combination of liquid assets, assets that we have in this country as we work to bring them out for the American people.”

As to the question of whether the fund could resolve the TikTok ownership issue, Aguilera adds, “I doubt it, but time will tell.”

This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu.