Billionaire Elon Musk has dismissed the idea of purchasing TikTok, stating that he has not placed a bid for the popular short-video app, nor does he have any plans for it. His comments came in late January during a video appearance at a summit hosted by The WELT Group, part of German media giant Axel Springer SE.
Musk’s remarks follow former U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he would be open to Musk acquiring TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. However, Musk clarified that he does not use the platform and is unfamiliar with its format. I’m not eager to acquire TikTok, he said, adding that acquiring companies is rare for him. He described his high-profile purchase of Twitter as an exception, noting that he typically builds companies from scratch rather than buying them.
The U.S. government has been pressuring ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations over national security concerns. Lawmakers fear that the Chinese government could access the data of American users, a claim TikTok has repeatedly denied. A January 19 deadline was set for ByteDance to divest from the app or face a ban in the United States.
Despite the looming restrictions, Apple and Google have yet to reinstate TikTok in their app stores. In response, TikTok has allowed U.S. Android users to download and access the app via package kits on its website. The app boasts approximately 170 million users in the U.S.
Trump has expressed a shifting stance on TikTok. While he previously attempted to ban the app during his presidency, he now acknowledges its impact on young voters and credits it with helping his campaign in the 2024 election. He recently stated that he has a warm spot for the platform and is engaged in discussions regarding its future.
This week, Trump signed an executive order to establish a sovereign wealth fund within the year, suggesting that the fund could potentially acquire TikTok. ByteDance, however, has maintained that it has no intention of selling the app.
As debates continue over TikTok’s fate in the U.S., Musk remains clear on his position—he has no interest in taking over the platform.
