Microsoft in talks to acquire TikTok, says Trump

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US President Donald Trump confirmed that Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, the social media platform with around 170 million American users. Trump expressed a desire for a competitive bidding process, stating that several companies, including Microsoft, were interested in purchasing the app. This comes after years of US pressure on TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations over concerns related to national security, data privacy, and Chinese government influence.


Trump reiterated that China should not be involved in TikTok’s operations in the US, adding, “China won’t be involved, but we’ll see what happens.” While this isn’t the first time Microsoft has shown interest, having previously held talks with ByteDance in 2020, the renewed discussions have sparked further debate over the app’s future. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had previously called the deal “the strangest thing I’ve ever worked on.”


In recent developments, TikTok was briefly taken offline as Trump signed an executive order delaying enforcement that would require ByteDance to sell or face a ban. This 75-day delay gives TikTok time before further actions are taken.


Along with Microsoft, other potential buyers, including Elon Musk and AI startup Perplexity AI, have also shown interest. Perplexity AI proposed merging with TikTok, with the possibility of the US government taking a significant stake in the new company.


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