Elon Musk denies interest in buying TikTok amid US ban efforts

Billionaire Elon Musk has dismissed any interest in purchasing TikTok, despite ongoing U.S. efforts to ban the app over national security concerns tied to its Chinese owner, ByteDance.

Speaking at a summit hosted by Germany's Axel Springer SE in late January, Musk stated, "I have not put in a bid for TikTok," and clarified that he has no plans for what he would do if he owned the platform.

He also admitted to being unfamiliar with the app’s format and not using it personally.

Musk emphasized that acquisitions are not his typical business strategy, stating, "I usually build companies from scratch."

He called his $44 billion purchase of Twitter (now X) an exception rather than the norm.

His comments came a week after former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Musk could consider buying TikTok, which has around 170 million American users.

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The U.S. government had given ByteDance until January 19 to sell its U.S. assets or face a ban, citing concerns that the app could be used to share American user data with the Chinese government—an allegation TikTok has repeatedly denied.

While Apple and Google have not reinstated TikTok in their app stores, the company has enabled U.S. Android users to download the app via package kits from its website, bypassing restrictions.

Trump, who had initially sought to ban TikTok during his first term, has since softened his stance, recently stating that he has "a warm spot in my heart for TikTok" and acknowledging its role in helping him connect with young voters during the 2024 election.

ByteDance has maintained that it has no plans to sell TikTok. The company and TikTok have not commented on the latest developments.