US President Donald Trump on Monday said that Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, while the app’s future in the country faces uncertainty.
According to reports, TikTok is facing a US law that ordered the company to divest from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or be banned in the United States.
When asked late Monday if Microsoft was in discussion for acquiring TikTok, Trump told reporters: “I would say yes.
“There’s a lot of interest in TikTok; there’s great interest in TikTok,” he added.
According to him, a bidding war would also be a good development.
Recall that a law banning the video-sharing platform took effect on January 19 over concerns that the Chinese government could exploit it to spy on Americans or covertly influence US public opinion.
However, Trump has suspended its implementation for two and a half months, seeking a solution with Beijing.
TikTok temporarily shut down in the United States as the deadline for the law approached.
Trump then promised to issue an executive order as soon as he took office to delay the ban to allow time to make a deal.
TikTok restored service subsequently in the country, crediting Trump for making the reversal possible—though the outgoing Biden administration had earlier said that it would not enforce any ban.
