TikTok's U.S. Operations May Be Sold to Elon Musk Amid Ban Deadline
Chinese officials are reportedly evaluating the possibility of selling TikTok's U.S. operations to Elon Musk's social media platform, X, as a contingency plan if the app faces a ban in the United States.
Key Takeaways
- Potential Sale Consideration: Chinese officials are reportedly evaluating the possibility of selling TikTok's U.S. operations to Elon Musk's social media platform, X, as a contingency plan if the app faces a ban in the United States.
- ByteDance’s preferred strategy is to fight the ban, people say
- Trump has said he would like to delay the ban to seek resolution
As the January 19 deadline approaches, the future of TikTok's operations in the United States remains uncertain.
In light of this, Chinese officials are reportedly considering a contingency plan that involves selling TikTok's U.S. operations to Elon Musk's social media platform, X. This move is seen as a way to ensure the app's continued availability to its approximately 170 million American users. However, these discussions are in the early stages, and whether ByteDance or Elon Musk are aware of these considerations is unclear.
Despite these reports, TikTok has firmly denied any plans for such a sale. A spokesperson for the company labeled the reports as "pure fiction," emphasizing that ByteDance intends to retain ownership of TikTok's U.S. operations.
The situation is further complicated by President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration, which has previously expressed a desire to broker a resolution that addresses national security concerns while preserving the app's availability. Elon Musk's close ties with the incoming administration add another layer of complexity to the potential sale discussions.
As the deadline looms, all parties involved are under pressure to reach a resolution that balances national security concerns with the interests of millions of American TikTok users.
Bloomberg News
