The fate of TikTok, the wildly popular but politically fraught social media app, is once again dangling over a cliff—and this time, Microsoft is back in the picture as a potential savior. Donald Trump, the former president whose crusade against TikTok’s Chinese ownership once threatened to ban the app entirely, casually dropped a bombshell this week: Microsoft is in talks to buy TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed the discussions, adding he’d love to see a “bidding war” erupt for the app. His remarks echoed the chaotic 2020 saga when Microsoft and Oracle vied to acquire TikTok’s U.S. arm amid Trump’s ultimatum for ByteDance, TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, to sever ties or face a ban. Now, with a new April 5 deadline looming—and TikTok’s brief disappearance from app stores earlier this month hinting at darker consequences—the stakes feel even higher.
Why the urgency? Last week, Trump signed an executive order delaying a potential TikTok ban by 75 days, pushing the new deadline to early April. The order frames the delay as a chance to “negotiate a resolution” that avoids abruptly shutting down TikTok while addressing national security concerns. Microsoft’s renewed interest, first hinted at in a 2020 blog post after CEO Satya Nadella’s talks with Trump, appears central to those negotiations.
But Microsoft isn’t the only player eyeing TikTok. Perplexity AI, a rising name in generative AI, has reportedly pitched a merger. Billionaire real estate mogul Frank McCourt has thrown his hat in the ring, too, framing his bid as a push for “ethical AI.” Even Trump has floated wildcards like Tesla’s Elon Musk or Oracle’s Larry Ellison as potential buyers.
The bigger question: Why is TikTok still a political football? Critics argue the app’s ties to China pose data privacy risks, though evidence of actual harm remains scant. For Trump, the TikTok drama seems to blend performative nationalism with a penchant for corporate theatrics. Meanwhile, millions of U.S. users—many of whom rely on TikTok for income, activism, or community—are left in limbo, forced to watch as politicians and tech giants haggle over their digital playground.
FAQs
Q: Why does Microsoft want to buy TikTok?
A: Microsoft aims to expand its consumer tech footprint and mitigate U.S. national security concerns tied to TikTok’s Chinese ownership.
Q: What happens if TikTok isn’t sold by April 5?
A: The app could face a prolonged ban in the U.S., removing it from app stores and cutting off updates for existing users.
Q: Who are the other bidders for TikTok?
A: Oracle, Perplexity AI, billionaire Frank McCourt, and even Tesla’s Elon Musk have been floated as potential buyers.
Q: Why is Donald Trump involved in TikTok’s sale?
A: Trump has long framed TikTok as a national security threat due to its Chinese ownership, using executive orders to pressure ByteDance to divest.
Q: How does TikTok’s sale affect its users?
A: A sale could alter data privacy policies or app features, but users likely won’t see immediate changes unless the app is banned.
