Trump Backs Elon Musk as Possible TikTok Buyer, Suggests Government Stake

[MacRumors]

Newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed support for Elon Musk potentially acquiring TikTok, and also proposed a joint ownership structure with the U.S. government.

"I would be, if he wanted to buy it, yes," Trump told reporters at a White House event announcing a new AI infrastructure private sector partnership, where OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son were in attendance. The comments came just days after TikTok briefly went offline in the United States following Supreme Court action.

The social media platform, which boasts 170 million American users, temporarily shut down for about 12 hours on Saturday after the Supreme Court upheld legislation requiring Chinese company ByteDance to divest its US TikTok operations. Trump subsequently issued an executive order providing a 75-day pause on the ban's enforcement.

During the White House event, where Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison was also present, Trump floated the idea of a 50-50 ownership split between any acquiring company and the US government. "They'll have something that's actually more valuable because they have the ultimate partner," Trump explained.

Trump specifically mentioned both Musk and Ellison as potential buyers during the event. Oracle already plays a significant role in TikTok's operations, hosting most of the platform's servers.

Trump originally supported banning the short-form video app over national security concerns, but his thinking has U-turned since winning the US presidential election for a second time. "We won the young vote. I think I won it through TikTok," Trump told reporters. "So I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok."

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Article Link: Trump Backs Elon Musk as Possible TikTok Buyer, Suggests Government Stake

 

[tyr2]

With Twitter losing influence at an increasing rate I wouldn’t be surprised if Elon and his cabal were looking for a new lever to pull.

 

[oldmacs]

With Twitter losing influence at an increasing rate I wouldn’t be surprised if Elon and his cabal were looking for a new lever to pull.

Or another platform to ruin? Not that I love Tik Tok.. but Twitter has gone down the drain...

 

[Havalo]

That's one way to control the narrative.

 

[foobarbaz]

So I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok.

That's all there is to it. In the first term, some TikTokers embarrassed him by causing empty seats at a speech, so TikTok is evil and must be banned. Now some TikTokers love him, so it's the greatest thing ever.

National security was never even part of the conversation. It's just a talking point.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

If he is wanting to trash another social network, sure. It wouldn't survive other than becoming a second truth-social.

 

[wanha]

If TikTok gets sold to Elon, just about every single major social media company is then controlled by billionaire tech bros who are all kissing Trump's ring and have proven willing to do just about anything he asks (i.e. demands).

The goal seems to be to have power to control speech and amplify/suppress whatever they want to amplify/suppress.

Not concerning at all. Nothing to worry about. What could possibly go wrong.

 

[surferfb]

Think this headline actually burying the lede. Trump wants the government to own 50%? Was not aware government ownership of private companies was a well known conservative principle here in the US.

 

[oldmacs]

Nothing worrying about Trump's mates buying up all the social media sites... Free speech until it's something Trump doesn't like.

 

[dominiongamma]

It will be cluttered with ads you pay for !

 

[contacos]

Any other decent country would have sacked him well before this H****er Salute and he's getting all these opportunities. Sick

Also tired of the term "free speech" being thrown around to justify everything anyone does. It completely lost its intended meaning.

 

[arkitect]

Oh my… what could possibly go wrong?

Jeesus America.

 

[klasma]

This all assumes that ByteDance is willing to sell TikTok. Previously they said they’d rather shut it down. Note also that this is just the US TikTok operations. TikTok would remain unchanged in the rest of the world.

 

[justperry]

Mr beast is also in the running.

All social media apps should be banned, too much trouble with them.

 

[jayducharme]

Think this headline actually burying the lede. Trump wants the government to own 50%? Was not aware government ownership of private companies was a well known conservative principle here in the US.

Exactly. And what then separates us from what we claim the Chinese were doing? Oh … I see: the difference is that our government is run by honest people who would never stoop to the espionage level of Beijing.

 

[McWetty]

“and also proposed a joint ownership structure with the U.S. government.”

Just no. Absolutely not. I hate TikTok for what it is now. But if they want US gov’t control of it… that’s no better than China controlling Bytedance.

I’m not a tin foil hat wearer, but I can’t see any well-intentioned reason why the US gov’t needs to own a social media platform.

 

[contacos]

Exactly. And what then separates us from what we claim the Chinese were doing? Oh … I see: the difference is that our government is run by honest people who would never stoop to the espionage level of Beijing.

Right? It sounds like Trump has the final say on who gets to buy it. But from what I understand, a U.S.-based company needs to express interest first, and then it should be a deal between that company and TikTok, not Trump or the government dictating, "Company X should buy it."

 

[neuropsychguy]

Think this headline actually burying the lede. Trump wants the government to own 50%? Was not aware government ownership of private companies was a well known conservative principle here in the US.

Trump is no conservative.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

More places for the apartheid loving South African globalist to push even more race theory content onto the American masses.

Since when did Americans get so fond of cleaning off the pipes of individuals who list Mein Kampf as their top pick on goodreads.com?

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Trump is no conservative.

He is a conservative like the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is democratic.

 

[spartan1967]

Let's say Musk buys TikTok. Let's also say in 4 years a majority of Gen. Z adults in the U.S. are still unable to live on their own, unable to gain equity with a property purchase, or not financially ready to start a family.

Who do you think they will listen to when it comes time to vote for the next president in 2028? Will it be the message on TikTok or will they look in the mirror & ask themselves who has kept their promises to me or who might be a better fit to improve my financial situation now that I am 18 - 32 years old?

 

[cflem]

All of this just keeps going from bad to worse.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

This all assumes that ByteDance is willing to sell TikTok. Previously they said they’d rather shut it down. Note also that this is just the US TikTok operations. TikTok would remain unchanged in the rest of the world.

Not just ByteDance, the Chinese government has to allow them to sell.

 

[MJaP]

I closed my Twitter account about a month ago, and it's one of the best thing I ever did, it's a cesspool of hate, intolerance, and persecution and I'm a lot calmer and better off without it.

 

[wanha]

Mr beast is also in the running.

All social media apps should be banned, too much trouble with them.

The problem is not social media but the fact that they can be so easily bought and manipulated by billionaires.

Fortunately, there is bluesky which is at least built to be billionaire resistant (although not billionaire proof). I suggest everyone that wants to connect with decent, intelligent, and interest human beings to head over there.