Talks explore Musk’s platform X potentially taking over TikTok U.S., as ByteDance faces growing national security scrutiny
China considers potential sale of TikTok US operations to Elon Musk. Chinese officials are reportedly in early discussions about a potential sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to billionaire Elon Musk, as the popular video-sharing app faces the looming threat of a ban in the United States. According to Bloomberg News, the talks are part of a broader effort by Beijing to find a solution if TikTok is unable to avoid a ban due to national security concerns.
While officials in Beijing would prefer TikTok to remain under the control of its parent company, ByteDance, the future of the app in the U.S. could shift toward Musk’s social media platform, X, in the event of a sale. The deal could either be structured through a competitive process or arranged by the government. Bloomberg reports that discussions suggest the matter may no longer be entirely in ByteDance’s hands, as China’s government holds a “golden share” in the company, which some U.S. lawmakers believe provides Beijing influence over TikTok’s operations.
The idea of Musk’s X platform taking control of TikTok’s U.S. operations is one potential outcome, though the specifics of such a deal have not been finalized. A TikTok spokesperson dismissed the report, calling it “pure fiction,” and it remains unclear how much ByteDance, TikTok, or Musk’s team are involved in the talks.
This comes as the U.S. Supreme Court seems to lean toward upholding a law that could force TikTok to either sell its U.S. operations or face a complete ban by January 19, citing national security concerns over the app’s ties to China. Neither TikTok, ByteDance, nor officials from X, China’s Cyberspace Administration, or Ministry of Commerce responded immediately to requests for comment.
The fate of TikTok’s U.S. operations continues to hang in the balance, with these ongoing discussions adding a new twist to the complex geopolitical and business challenges facing the app.
