Microsoft has emerged as a potential buyer for TikTok‘s US operations, as mentioned by President Donald Trump. The video-sharing platform, which boasts 170 million American users, faces mounting pressure to separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, due to national security concerns.
TikTok’s Deadline is Approaching
The situation has become increasingly urgent following recent regulatory actions. TikTok briefly experienced a thirteen-hour ban in the United States, during which the application became unavailable from app stores. However, following the transition of power to President Donald Trump, a new executive order has provided ByteDance with a 75-day extension until April 5, 2025, to complete the divestment of TikTok to a US-based entity.
President Trump has expressed his enthusiasm about the potential acquisition, noting that multiple parties have shown interest in purchasing the platform. He also emphasized the benefits of a competitive bidding process, suggesting it would lead to optimal outcomes for all stakeholders involved.
While Microsoft has maintained silence regarding their potential involvement, their interest signals a major strategic move in the social media landscape.
These negotiations are happening against a backdrop of complex geopolitical considerations, with the US government explicitly stating its desire to exclude Chinese involvement in the platform’s future operations. President Trump has even proposed an alternative scenario involving a joint venture between ByteDance and the US government, where the latter would maintain 50% ownership of TikTok.
As the April 2025 deadline nears, the future of TikTok’s US operations hangs in the balance. The platform’s fate will likely be determined by talks between potential American buyers, ByteDance, and US regulatory authorities, with Microsoft potentially playing a pivotal role in reshaping the social media landscape in the United States.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
