TRUMP DISCUSSING TIKTOK PURCHASE WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE – A decision should be reached in the next 30 days
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was in talks with multiple people over buying TikTok and would likely have a decision on the popular app’s future in the next 30 days.
“I have spoken to many people about TikTok and there is great interest in TikTok,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One during a flight to Florida.
Under the deal being negotiated by the White House, TikTok’s China-based owner, ByteDance, would retain a stake in the company. Still, data collection and software updates would be overseen by Oracle, which already provides the foundation of TikTok’s Web infrastructure, one source familiar with the matter disclosed.
However, Trump said he had not spoken to Oracle’s Larry Ellison about buying the app in his comments to reporters on the flight. Asked if he was putting together a deal with Oracle and other investors to save TikTok, Trump said: “No, not with Oracle. Numerous people are talking to me, very substantial people, about buying it and I will make that decision probably over the next 30 days. Congress has given 90 days. If we can save TikTok, I think it would be a good thing.”
The sources did say the terms of any potential deal with Oracle were fluid and likely to change. One source said the full scope of the discussions was not yet set and could include the U.S. operations as well as other regions.
