Microsoft In Talks To Buy TikTok, Trump Confirms
Trump helped keep TikTok running in the United States through an executive order. However, the new US president has not removed the requirement to sell the short video platform to American owners. Now, Trump has confirmed that Microsoft is one of the companies interested in acquiring TikTok.
The bill signed by Joe Biden last year forces ByteDance to divest from TikTok’s US stake. The original deadline was January 19, 2025, at which point the app went dark for a few hours. However, Trump signed an executive order to postpone the deadline for 75 days. During that time, all parties must reach an agreement that involves the sale—in whole or in part—of the app. ByteDance has always been reluctant to do so, but it could be the only way they can continue to operate in the US.
Donald Trump said that Microsoft will bid for TikTok
Yesterday, Trump confirmed that Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok. However, the Redmond giant is not the only one interested, and Trump himself expects a “bidding war” of sorts. TikTok will offer its new owners immediate access to usage data from around 170 million American users, something extremely valuable in the age of AI. The huge popularity of the service gives it another plus for a potential buyer.
When asked about Microsoft preparing a bid for TikTok, Trump replied: “I would say yes.” “If we can save all that voice and all the jobs, and China won’t be involved, we don’t want China involved, but we’ll see what happens,” he added. Previously, Trump suggested a 50% sale of TikTok as a potential solution to the conflict. This would allow ByteDance to continue having an important stake, something the company does not seem to want to give up.
Interestingly, this is not Microsoft’s first opportunity to buy TikTok. The company could have done so in 2020, but the deal fell through. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called the situation “the strangest thing.” ByteDance also tried to negotiate with Oracle, but without success.
Multiple interested parties
There are currently multiple interested parties in acquiring TikTok. In addition to the Project Liberty initiative—headed by Frank McCourt—there are Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary, Perplexity, Oracle, and even YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast. Elon Musk was also rumored to be on the list, but ByteDance denied it.
More potential candidates to buy the app could emerge in the coming days. Anyway, Trump said that a decision on the future of TikTok should be ready in the next 30 days.
