Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has made it clear that he has no intention of purchasing TikTok, the immensely popular short-video platform that has been under scrutiny in the United States due to security concerns related to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Musk’s remarks were made during a virtual appearance at a summit hosted by The WELT Group, a subsidiary of the German media company Axel Springer SE, in late January. The recording of his statements was released online on Saturday, adding further clarity to his stance.
“I have not made any bid for TikTok,” Musk stated, addressing speculation about his interest in acquiring the platform. His comments came a week after former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Musk could consider purchasing TikTok if he wished to do so.
When asked about any potential plans for the app, Musk admitted that he had not given it much thought. “I don’t have any plans for what I would do if I owned TikTok,” he said, emphasizing that he neither personally uses the app nor is deeply familiar with its format.
Musk also reiterated his general approach to business acquisitions, noting that purchasing TikTok would not align with his typical strategy. “I’m not eager to buy TikTok. I rarely acquire companies—it’s quite unusual for me,” he explained, pointing out that his acquisition of Twitter, now rebranded as X, was an exception rather than the norm. “I usually build companies from scratch,” he added.
The discussion around TikTok’s fate in the U.S. has been growing in intensity. A recent executive order sought to delay the enforcement of a ban on the app, which was initially scheduled for January 19. ByteDance was given a deadline to sell its U.S. assets or face a potential ban, amid concerns that the Chinese government could compel the company to share data from American users. TikTok has consistently denied such allegations.
Meanwhile, Apple and Google have not reinstated TikTok in their app stores since the implementation of the U.S. law restricting its availability. In response, TikTok announced on Friday that it was offering direct downloads for U.S. Android users through its website in an effort to bypass these limitations.
Trump, who has been engaging in discussions regarding TikTok’s future, indicated that he expects to make a decision on the matter soon. The app boasts a staggering 170 million American users, making its fate a subject of considerable public and political interest.
In a surprising shift from his earlier stance, Trump recently expressed a newfound appreciation for TikTok. He credited the app with helping him connect with younger voters during the 2024 presidential election, remarking that he has “a warm spot in my heart for TikTok.”
Additionally, this week saw the signing of an executive order aimed at establishing a sovereign wealth fund, which Trump suggested could be used to acquire TikTok within the year. ByteDance, however, has repeatedly denied any plans to sell the platform.
Neither ByteDance nor TikTok provided immediate responses to requests for comment outside regular business hours. The situation continues to evolve, with significant implications for TikTok’s operations in the U.S. and the broader debate over digital privacy and national security.