Pierre, SD — April 30, 2025 — In a powerful show of institutional support, the South Dakota Board of Regents (BOR), representing all six public universities in the state, has issued an official letter endorsing Rasner Media’s proposed $47.45 billion acquisition of TikTok’s U.S. operations.
The endorsement letter, addressed to Reid Rasner of Omnivest Financial, highlights South Dakota’s emergence as a leader in cybersecurity, quantum science, and artificial intelligence—fields critical to the future of secure digital media platforms like TikTok. Citing major public and private investments exceeding $180 million and a 60% increase in computer science degrees awarded, the BOR makes a strong case for South Dakota as the ideal launchpad for Rasner Media’s next chapter.
“Our institutions graduated 618 students in these high-demand areas [in 2024], future-ready professionals equipped to lead in the digital age,” the letter states.
Among South Dakota's most notable achievements:
- The creation of a Quantum Materials Institute, pushing boundaries in secure communications and next-generation computing.
- Major advances in cyber operations, machine learning, and visual-interactive computing.
- Active exploration of new materials like germanium crystals, cementing the state’s role in future tech hardware development.
Nathan Lukkes, Executive Director and CEO of the South Dakota Board of Regents, concluded the letter by stating:
We are ready to position South Dakota as the launchpad for the next generation of secure, ethical, and impactful digital media.
Nathan Lukkes, Executive Director and CEO of the South Dakota Board of Regents
Governor Larry Rhoden (SD), who has already formally endorsed Rasner's bid, was formally copied on the communication, and emphasized his support in the following statement on his official Facebook account:
Our SD Universities have plenty of resources to offer should an American-owned TikTok move to South Dakota. Our Board of Regents outlined those opportunities in a letter to Reid Rasner today.
- Governor Larry Rhoden, South Dakota
Rasner Media’s historic proposal, which has already garnered national attention—including recognition on Truth Social by President Donald Trump—aims to relocate TikTok’s U.S. operations to Wyoming and transform it into a platform prioritizing security, innovation, and American-led digital leadership.
