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Trump Says Microsoft Among Potential Buyers for TikTok Amid US Ban Threat

Trump Says Microsoft Among Potential Buyers for TikTok Amid US Ban Threat
Source: AFP
  • PublishedJanuary 28, 2025

US President Donald Trump has indicated that Microsoft is among the companies exploring a potential acquisition of TikTok, the popular video-sharing app, as the platform faces a looming ban in the United States, Al Jazeera reports.

The ban stems from national security concerns related to the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One late Monday, Trump said, “I would say yes,” when asked if Microsoft was in talks to purchase TikTok. While acknowledging “great interest” in the app, he declined to provide a comprehensive list of interested US firms.

The future of TikTok in the US has been uncertain, especially following a brief blackout of the platform on January 18, to comply with a law requiring ByteDance to divest its ownership or face a ban. Trump, who suspended enforcement of the law for 75 days after taking office, stated that his administration sought an alternative solution to a complete ban.

This is not the first time Trump has addressed TikTok. During his first term, he attempted to ban the platform due to similar national security concerns but later reversed his stance during his 2024 presidential campaign, promising to “save” it.

The current ban was facilitated by a law signed by former President Joe Biden, who acted amid bipartisan worries that TikTok could be used to harvest American’s personal data and potentially manipulate public discourse.

Earlier this month, the US Supreme Court unanimously upheld the ban, rejecting arguments that it violated the free speech rights of US citizens.