Wed Jan 22 02:55:29 UTC 2025: ## Trump Open to Musk Buying TikTok Amidst Ongoing Ban Debate
**Washington D.C.** – President Donald Trump has expressed openness to Elon Musk acquiring the popular short-form video app, TikTok. This statement comes amidst a contentious debate surrounding a national security law mandating the sale or ban of TikTok due to concerns about data security and its Chinese ownership, ByteDance.
The app, boasting 170 million American users, was temporarily unavailable following the near-implementation of the law on Sunday. While Bloomberg News reported preliminary talks between Chinese officials and Musk regarding a potential sale, TikTok denies these claims.
President Trump, who recently signed an executive order delaying enforcement of the law by 75 days, indicated he’d support a Musk takeover, even suggesting a potential arrangement where the U.S. government receives a 50% stake. He confirmed prior meetings with TikTok’s owners.
This development comes as free speech advocates oppose the ban, with TikTok arguing that its U.S. operations are independent, with data stored on U.S. servers and moderation decisions made domestically. Musk, a significant contributor to Trump’s election campaign, has voiced concerns about the uneven business environment between the U.S. and China, adding his own opposition to a complete TikTok ban while acknowledging the current imbalance. The future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain.
First Piper 