Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, has firmly stated that he has no interest in acquiring TikTok. This clarification comes as the popular short-video app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, faces potential bans in the United States due to national security concerns.
Musk Clarifies His Position
Musk made these comments in late January during a summit hosted by The WELT Group, a subsidiary of German media company Axel Springer SE. Participating via video, Musk dismissed any involvement with TikTok, saying, “I have not put in a bid for TikTok.” His remarks followed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Musk might consider buying the app.
“I don’t have plans for what I’d do with TikTok,” Musk added, explaining that he is not a user of the app and is unfamiliar with its format. He further emphasized that his acquisition of companies is rare, pointing out that his purchase of Twitter (now X) was an exception. Musk typically builds businesses from scratch, rather than buying existing ones.
National Security Concerns and U.S. Actions
TikTok has been under scrutiny in the U.S. due to concerns that the Chinese government could access American users’ data. In January, former President Trump signed an executive order delaying the planned ban of TikTok, which was initially set to take effect on January 19. U.S. lawmakers have pressured ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets to address these security concerns, though ByteDance has denied any intention to share user data with China.
TikTok remains unavailable in the Apple and Google app stores in the U.S. due to a law that restricts its distribution. However, the app company has found a workaround, allowing U.S. Android users to download the app directly from its website using package kits.
Shift in Trump’s TikTok Stance
Trump’s position on TikTok has evolved. Previously, he had pushed to ban the app, citing fears over data sharing with the Chinese government. However, Trump recently softened his stance, acknowledging that TikTok helped him connect with younger voters during the 2024 presidential election. He even stated, “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok.”
Trump has also signed an executive order to establish a sovereign wealth fund, which could potentially be used to acquire TikTok. However, ByteDance has denied that it has any plans to sell the app. Neither ByteDance nor TikTok responded to requests for comment outside of regular business hours.