TikTok denies report of potential sale to Elon Musk amid looming US ban

TikTok has categorically denied a report suggesting that China is exploring a potential sale of the app’s U.S. operations to tech billionaire Elon Musk to prevent a nationwide ban. The report, originally published by Bloomberg, cited unnamed sources claiming Chinese officials were evaluating Musk as a potential buyer.

“We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction,” a TikTok spokesperson told Variety when asked about the claim.

According to Bloomberg, discussions within the Chinese government included the possibility of Musk’s company, X (formerly Twitter), acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations and merging the two businesses. The report highlighted that ByteDance, TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, could be forced to divest its U.S. operations under an impending U.S. law targeting foreign adversary-controlled applications. However, Bloomberg noted it is unclear if any direct talks have occurred between Musk, TikTok, and ByteDance.

Musk, who owns Tesla, SpaceX, and X, has not commented on the report.

TikTok faces a critical deadline as a new U.S. law, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, is set to take effect on January 19. The legislation would prohibit Apple, Google, and web hosting services from distributing TikTok unless ByteDance divests its stake to an entity in a non-adversarial country.

TikTok and ByteDance have appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the law violates the First Amendment rights of its 170 million U.S. users. However, initial court proceedings suggest the justices may lean towards supporting the government’s stance that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

ByteDance has not indicated any willingness to sell its approximately 40% stake in TikTok. Chinese authorities have previously stated that they would block any such sale, citing technology export laws. This adds another layer of complexity to the situation as lawmakers in Washington remain steadfast in their concerns over the app’s potential use for surveillance or propaganda.

President-elect Donald Trump has urged the Supreme Court to delay the law’s implementation to allow time for a “negotiated resolution.” Trump, during his first term, attempted unsuccessfully to force a sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations, citing similar national security concerns.