According to a recent Bloomberg report, In a surprising twist, the Chinese government is reportedly considering a bold plan: having Elon Musk acquire TikTok's U.S. operations.
The clock is ticking for TikTok. A U.S. law signed earlier this year requires ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its U.S. operations by January 19. If it doesn’t comply, internet providers could face penalties for supporting TikTok, effectively shutting down the app for American users.
China, aiming to avoid this scenario, is exploring several backup options. One of these is to involve Elon Musk, who would manage TikTok's U.S. business alongside his existing platform, X. However, this idea is still in its early stages, and it’s unclear if ByteDance or Musk are even aware of these discussions.
So far, TikTok hasn't confirmed these rumors, dismissing them as "pure fiction." Musk's camp has also stayed silent.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court is deliberating on whether to uphold the law that could lead to TikTok's ban. TikTok's lawyers argue that banning the app would violate the free-speech rights of millions of U.S. users. On the other side, the U.S. government cites national security concerns over ByteDance's Chinese ownership.
Interestingly, former President Donald Trump has reentered the conversation. While he supported banning TikTok during his first term, he has since softened his stance. Recently, Trump asked the Supreme Court to delay Biden's law, hoping to broker a "political resolution" once his second term begins on January 20.
Adding fuel to the fire is billionaire Jeff Yass, a major investor in ByteDance and a Republican donor. Yass reportedly discussed TikTok’s future with Trump earlier this year, possibly influencing his shift in opinion.
