President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, expressing his desire for a bidding war over the popular app. Both Microsoft and TikTok have not responded to Reuters' request for comments outside of regular business hours. Trump has previously mentioned he is in discussions with multiple parties regarding the potential purchase of TikTok and expects to decide on the app's future within the next 30 days.
TikTok, which boasts around 170 million American users, was briefly taken offline just before a law requiring ByteDance to sell the app on national security grounds or face a ban took effect on January 19. After taking office on January 20, Trump signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of this law by 75 days, following concerns from U.S. officials about the potential misuse of American data under ByteDance's ownership.
During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok over national security concerns, but shifted his position during the 2024 presidential campaign, vowing to “save” the platform. Meanwhile, former President Joe Biden signed a law that made the ban possible, following bipartisan worries that TikTok could be used to steal Americans' data and influence public opinion.
Earlier this month, the US Supreme Court upheld the ban with a unanimous vote, dismissing claims that it violated the First Amendment’s free speech protections.