Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, confirms President Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump revealed on Monday that Microsoft is in discussions to acquire the popular social media app TikTok, reigniting speculation about the platform’s future ownership. Trump expressed his preference for a competitive bidding process to maximize the outcome.

Microsoft declined to comment on the reported talks, while TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and TikTok itself did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.

TikTok, which boasts approximately 170 million users in the United States, faced a critical juncture earlier this month. The app was briefly taken offline just before a law requiring ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations for national security reasons took effect on January 19. Trump, after assuming office on January 20, signed an executive order delaying enforcement of the divestment mandate by 75 days, giving potential buyers more time to finalize deals.

The president has stated he is in discussions with multiple parties interested in TikTok and expects to make a decision on the app’s future within 30 days. Last week, Trump suggested he was open to Tesla CEO Elon Musk acquiring TikTok, though Musk has not publicly commented on the matter.

In a surprising development, AI startup Perplexity AI reportedly proposed merging with TikTok on Sunday. According to sources, the proposal includes a provision for the U.S. government to acquire up to half of the new entity in the future.

This is not the first time Microsoft has been involved in negotiations to acquire TikTok. During Trump’s first term, the administration pressured ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations over national security concerns. Microsoft emerged as a leading contender in 2020 but ultimately failed to secure a deal after talks fell apart.

Reflecting on the experience in 2021, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called the 2020 negotiations “the strangest thing I’ve ever worked on,” citing shifting U.S. government requirements that ultimately led to the effort being abandoned.

With TikTok’s future again in the spotlight, Microsoft’s renewed interest signals a potential revival of high-stakes negotiations. The possibility of additional bidders could set the stage for a fierce competition over one of the world’s most popular social media platforms.

The outcome of these talks will determine whether TikTok’s U.S. operations can continue under new ownership or face further legal and operational uncertainty.