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Elon Musk says has no plans to acquire TikTok’s US operations

President Trump said he would be open to the world’s richest man buying the US operations of the Chinese-owned social media platform that is under threat of being banned in the country over national security concerns

Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk gestures while speaking during an inauguration event on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP
Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk gestures while speaking during an inauguration event on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and a top advisor to US President Donald Trump, said he has no interest in acquiring social media platform TikTok’s operations in the United States, in comments released Sunday (AEDT).

“I’ve not put in a bid for TikTok and I don’t have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok,” said Mr Musk in comments made via videolink at a German forum in late January that were released on the weekend.

TikTok is facing down a US law that ordered the company broken off from its Chinese owner ByteDance or otherwise be banned in the US over national security concerns regarding the data it gathers on users.

In one of his first acts in office, Mr Trump ordered a pause on enforcing the law that should have seen TikTok effectively made illegal in the country a day before he took office for a second term.

Elon Musk and President Donald Trump in Washington last month. Photo: AFP
Elon Musk and President Donald Trump in Washington last month. Photo: AFP

Soon after, Mr Trump said he would be open to Mr Musk - the owner of social media platform X, Tesla and a slew of other companies - buying the platform.

Mr Musk, however, said he did not wish to acquire the company.

“I don’t use TikTok personally, so, you know, I’m not that familiar with it,” he said. “I’m not chomping at the bit to acquire TikTok.”

Mr Musk bought social media giant Twitter, which he renamed X, for $US44bn ($70bn) in 2022, insisting he was doing so in order to safeguard “free speech”. Since his takeover, rights campaigners warn there has been a spike in hate speech and disinformation on the platform.

Mr Musk was one of Mr Trump’s main financial backers in his presidential campaign, and is heading the US president’s budget-slashing initiatives.

His so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) has targeted a range of federal government agencies and regulators, with the apparent intent of shutting them down and firing staff, especially those not in line with Mr Trump’s political agenda.

Elon Musk’s DOGE blocked from accessing Treasury data by judge

On Saturday, a US judge issued an emergency order blocking Mr Musk’s government reform team from accessing personal and financial data for millions of Americans stored at the Treasury Department, court documents showed.

In the comments at the forum in Germany, Mr Musk also took aim at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which are meant to support historically oppressed and disenfranchised communities. “DEI is simply racism rebranded,” he said. “I’m against racism and sexism no matter who it’s directed against.”

US officials have been racing to enact Mr Trump’s war on DEI across the federal bureaucracy - dismantling training initiatives, scrapping grants and sidelining hundreds of workers.

In Germany, Mr Musk has voiced firm support for the far-right anti-immigration AfD party - a political taboo in a country whose Nazi past remains a sensitive subject.

AFP

Read related topics:Donald TrumpElon Musk

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/elon-musk-says-has-no-plans-to-acquire-tiktoks-us-operations/news-story/4a099f7f2d1655298b9baaaebee413b3