U.S. President Donald Trump expressed openness to billionaire Elon Musk purchasing the social media app TikTok, which has faced scrutiny over national security concerns.
“If he wanted to buy it, I would be open to it,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. He added, “I’ve met with TikTok’s big owners. What I’m thinking of saying to someone is, ‘Buy it and give half to the United States of America.’”
Why It Matters
TikTok, which boasts 170 million American users, was temporarily taken offline before a law mandating its sale by Chinese parent company ByteDance went into effect on Sunday. U.S. officials have cited concerns about potential misuse of user data by ByteDance.
Reports suggest Chinese officials have discussed selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Musk, though the company has denied these claims. Meanwhile, Trump signed an executive order to delay enforcement of the law by 75 days, providing more time for negotiations.
The Ban and Controversy
Free speech advocates have opposed the ban, arguing it infringes on First Amendment rights. TikTok has defended its operations, stating that American user data is stored on Oracle-operated servers in the U.S., with content moderation decisions also made domestically.
Despite these assurances, TikTok remains unavailable for download on Apple and Android platforms in the U.S.
Elon Musk’s Perspective
Musk, who owns the social media platform X, has voiced concerns about the disparity in how U.S. and Chinese companies operate in each other’s markets. Over the weekend, he stated, “I have been against a TikTok ban for a long time because it goes against freedom of speech. That said, the current situation where TikTok operates in America, but X cannot operate in China, is unbalanced.”
Musk, who contributed over $250 million to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, has not confirmed any plans to purchase TikTok.