Microsoft in talks to acquire TikTok, says Trump

Trump aims to resolve TikTok’s future with a decision expected in 30 days.

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US President Donald Trump has confirmed that Microsoft is in discussions to acquire the popular social media platform TikTok. The President expressed a desire to see a competitive bidding process for the app, which has about 170 million American users.

Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed Microsoft’s interest, stating, "I would say yes," when asked if the tech giant was preparing to make an offer for the app. He added that several companies were significantly interested in TikTok, indicating a potential bidding war over the acquisition.

This move comes after years of pressure from the US government on TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations on national security grounds. Trump and his successor, Joe Biden, have raised concerns about TikTok’s data privacy and the potential for Chinese government influence.

In response to questions about the bidding process, Trump remarked, “We’re going to have a lot of people bidding on it.” He also reiterated his desire to ensure China would not be involved in the app's operations in the United States, saying, "China won’t be involved, but we’ll see what happens."

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has shown interest in acquiring TikTok. In 2020, during Trump’s first term, ByteDance held talks with Microsoft as a potential buyer, but those discussions fell through.

At the time, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella referred to the deal as “the strangest thing I’ve ever worked on.” Despite the previous failed talks, Microsoft’s renewed interest has sparked further discussions about the future of the app.

In recent developments, TikTok was briefly taken offline in the United States as Trump signed an executive order to delay law enforcement that would require ByteDance to either sell the app or face a ban. The 75-day delay grants TikTok some time before the ban becomes effective.

In addition to Microsoft, other potential buyers have expressed interest, including billionaire Elon Musk, although he has yet to publicly comment on the offer. AI startup Perplexity AI also recently made a proposal to merge with TikTok, with the US government potentially taking up to half of the new company in the future.

Trump’s administration had previously issued an executive order demanding ByteDance divest its US operations. Despite some setbacks, the pressure on ByteDance to sell continues, with the future of TikTok in the United States still uncertain. Trump said a decision on the app's future could come within 30 days.