President Donald Trump stated on Monday evening that Microsoft is one of the U.S. companies exploring the possibility of acquiring TikTok to prevent a potential ban on the app, which could take effect in April.
When asked by reporters if Microsoft was among those interested in taking over TikTok, Trump confirmed, saying, “I would say yes.” He also mentioned that other companies were looking into purchasing the app, but did not disclose any names.
Trump expressed his enthusiasm for competitive bidding, saying, “I like bidding wars because you make your best deals,” while speaking to reporters on Air Force One during a flight back to Washington from Miami, where Republican House members had gathered for a conference.
Microsoft has not yet commented on the matter, and TikTok representatives have not responded to a request for comment.
In one of his first actions as president last week, Trump extended TikTok’s deadline to secure new ownership that meets the U.S. government’s requirements by 75 days, moving it from January 19 to April 4.
Trump has stated that he wants the eventual buyer to offer the U.S. a 50% stake in the company, which is owned by the China-based ByteDance. However, the specifics of this plan remain unclear, and it’s uncertain whether Trump is suggesting government control of the app or if another U.S. entity would have control.
Last week, the AI startup Perplexity AI presented a proposal to ByteDance suggesting that the U.S. government could own up to 50% of a new entity formed by merging Perplexity with TikTok’s U.S. operations, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Other investors, such as billionaire Frank McCourt and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, have also publicly expressed interest in purchasing TikTok’s U.S. platform. Trump has mentioned that he’s had private discussions with “many people” about the company.
After the bipartisan law was signed by former President Joe Biden in April, ByteDance stated it had no intention of selling the platform and fought the law in court for several months. China also criticized Washington’s push for divestment, although its stance seems to have softened recently.
In media interviews last week, Bill Ford, the chairman of the global investment firm General Atlantic and a board member of ByteDance, stated that the company is ready to work with both the Trump administration and Chinese officials to find a solution that would keep TikTok available. He also suggested that a resolution might be possible without ByteDance having to fully divest.
Lawmakers and officials from both political parties have expressed national security concerns over Chinese ownership of TikTok, fearing potential manipulation of the platform, which boasts more than 170 million U.S. users.
While Trump initially supported a TikTok ban, he later changed his stance, crediting the app for helping him gain support from younger voters in the recent presidential election.
Microsoft, along with Walmart, attempted to acquire TikTok during Trump’s first term after he sought to ban the app. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella later described the experience as the “strangest thing I’ve ever worked on.”