President Donald Trump has given TikTok 75 days to convince U.S. officials that it does not pose a threat to national security. The most likely solution? Finding a new owner for the app’s U.S. operations. Here are some of the names that could take ownership of the popular platform.
MR.BEAST. Popular YouTuber Mr.Beast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, caused a stir with his statement on January 14: “Okay, I’ll buy TikTok so it doesn’t get banned.” The statement was taken seriously by many followers, leading to contacts with billionaires who are considering buying the platform. He has posted several times about his involvement in the discussions and has even suggested that he could become TikTok’s new CEO.
ELON MUSK. While Elon Musk has not commented directly on the rumors, Bloomberg reported that officials in Beijing are considering whether to allow the sale of the platform. With his extensive relations with China and his ability to develop advanced technologies like xAI, Musk could be a favorable candidate to take ownership of TikTok in the US.
SHARK TANK INVESTORS. Kevin O’Leary, a well-known investor from the show Shark Tank, along with a group called The People’s Bid for TikTok, have submitted a bid to buy the platform. The group has proposed buying TikTok without its algorithm, replacing it with technology developed by American companies. However, experts warn that this could be challenging, as the Chinese algorithm is key to the app’s popularity.
PERPLEXITY AI. A fledgling American search engine company, Perplexity AI, has submitted a bid to merge with TikTok US. In the proposal, most ByteDance shareholders would retain their stakes, while Perplexity would use the platform’s videos to improve its models.
US GOVERNMENT? President Trump has suggested on his “Truth Social” platform that the US could take a 50% ownership stake in a joint venture with TikTok. However, details on this proposal remain unclear and no additional information has been provided by his administration.
OTHER INTERESTED. During the discussions of the TikTok ban in Congress, other powerful names such as former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have also expressed interest in making a bid. Regardless of who the ultimate buyer is, the sale of TikTok has become a major topic that is escalating economic and political tensions between the US and China.
