Musk Dismisses Rumors of a TikTok Acquisition

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has firmly stated that he is not interested in purchasing TikTok, the widely popular short-video platform owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company currently facing scrutiny in the United States over national security concerns.

During a virtual appearance at a summit hosted by The WELT Group, part of Germany’s Axel Springer SE, Musk addressed the speculation regarding a possible TikTok acquisition, saying, “I have not put in a bid for TikTok.”

His remarks came shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Musk could consider buying the platform if he wanted to.

Musk’s Take on TikTok and Company Acquisitions

Musk, who acquired Twitter (now X) in 2022, made it clear that buying companies is not his typical approach. “I usually build companies from scratch,” he explained, emphasizing that purchasing Twitter was an exception rather than the norm.

Additionally, Musk admitted that he does not personally use TikTok and is unfamiliar with its format. “I don’t have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok,” he added, further ruling out any interest in a takeover.

TikTok’s Ongoing Legal Battle in the U.S.

The U.S. government has been pressing ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a potential ban, citing concerns that China could access user data. While TikTok has denied these allegations, the uncertainty surrounding its future continues to escalate.

To bypass restrictions, TikTok recently allowed U.S. Android users to download the app directly from its website, as Apple and Google have yet to reinstate it in their app stores.

Meanwhile, Trump, who had previously attempted to ban TikTok during his presidency, has recently softened his stance, acknowledging the platform’s influence on younger voters.

ByteDance has denied any intention of selling TikTok, keeping the app’s future in the U.S. uncertain.