Musk uninterested in acquiring TikTok amid controversy

Elon Musk declares no interest in purchasing TikTok amid U.S. national security concerns over its Chinese ownership.

Elon Musk on TikTok in new interview:

“I have not put in a bid for TikTok. I don’t have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok. I guess I would look at the algorithm and try to decide how harmful or useful is this algorithm and what can we do to shift the algo to be more… pic.twitter.com/fgDiPf4yQH

— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 8, 2025

In Short

Elon Musk has no interest in buying TikTok, despite suggestions from Donald Trump, as he is unfamiliar with the app and has no plans for it. Meanwhile, the US government is pressing ByteDance to divest its US assets due to national security concerns or face a ban, while ByteDance denies any intention to sell.

Musk’s comments were made in late January and surfaced online recently by The WELT Group. He clarified, “I have not put in a bid for TikTok,” after US President Donald Trump suggested he might consider Musk as a buyer for the app.

Musk expressed a lack of familiarity with TikTok, stating, “I don’t have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok,” and mentioned that he does not personally use the app. He further remarked that he is not eager to acquire TikTok, reflecting on his rare acquisitions, with the notable exception of Twitter, now called X.

The US government has imposed a deadline on ByteDance to divest its U.S. assets related to TikTok or face a ban, reflecting ongoing concerns about data privacy and security. Trump has recently indicated a possible decision on TikTok’s future would occur this month, mentioning intentions to create a sovereign wealth fund that could buy the app.

ByteDance, however, has previously denied any intent to sell TikTok. The situation continues to evolve as both lawmakers and the former president weigh their options regarding the platform, which boasts around 170 million users in America.