Microsoft in talks to acquire TikTok: Donald Trump
Trump, who previously advocated for a full ban on TikTok, reversed his stance last year, claiming that the app helped him connect with younger voters during the 2024 presidential election.
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President Donald Trump said on Monday evening that Microsoft is one of the companies vying to take control of TikTok in order to prevent the popular app from being banned in the United States.
The app, which boasts over 170 million US users, faces a hard deadline in April to comply with US government demands for new ownership.
Read more: 'We thank President Trump': TikTok announced it’s ‘in the process of restoring service’ in the US
When asked about Microsoft's interest, Trump said in a media report, "I would say yes," noting that other companies have also expressed interest, though he withheld specifics on who else is involved.
Representatives from Microsoft and TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump’s remarks come as he recently extended the deadline for TikTok to find new ownership by 75 days—from January 19 to April 4. This new deadline stems from a law requiring the app, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, to divest its US operations in order to avoid a ban due to national security concerns.
While Trump has suggested that the US government should have a 50% stake in the new ownership structure, the specifics of how this will be implemented remain unclear.
In recent developments, a proposal surfaced last week from the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, which seeks to merge its operations with TikTok’s US business, potentially allowing the US government to hold up to 50% ownership.
Other potential investors, including billionaire Frank McCourt and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, have publicly expressed interest in acquiring the app’s US operations. Trump also mentioned speaking to "many people" privately about a possible acquisition.
