TikTok Denies Elon Musk U.S. Buyout Rumors Amid Ban Threat

TikTok has firmly rejected a Bloomberg News report claiming Chinese officials are considering selling the app’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk. Speaking to Variety, a TikTok spokesperson dismissed the report as “pure fiction.”

Bloomberg’s January 13, 2025, article suggested Beijing was exploring a contingency plan for Musk to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations if the app faces a nationwide ban. This follows heightened scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and national security concerns tied to its parent company, ByteDance, based in Beijing.

While the alleged talks were described as preliminary, Chinese officials reportedly prefer keeping TikTok under ByteDance’s ownership. The urgency stems from an approaching Supreme Court decision, expected by January 19, 2025, which could force ByteDance to divest or see TikTok banned in the U.S.

TikTok’s rebuttal denies the claims and seeks to calm public speculation during an uncertain period. The debate over TikTok’s future has attracted wide interest, with names like Elon Musk—known for reshaping Twitter into X—adding intrigue to discussions of potential buyers.