Tech giant Microsoft is in early talks to acquire TikTok's U.S. operations, according to a media report on Friday, even as President Donald Trump said his administration is considering banning the Chinese video app.
"We are looking at TikTok. We may be banning TikTok," President Trump told reporters at the White House. India has banned up to 106 Chinese apps, including TikTok, a move that was well received by both the administration and lawmakers.
"We may be doing other things. There are a couple of options. But a lot of things are happening, so we will see what happens. But we are looking for many alternatives regarding TikTok," said Donald Trump in response to a question.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday night that Microsoft, led by Indian and American Satya Nadella, is in advanced talks to acquire TikTok's U.S. operations. The deal could reach billions of dollars.
"An agreement could be completed by Monday, according to people familiar with the matter, and the talks involve representatives from Microsoft, Bytedance and the White House. The talks are fluid and an agreement may not reach an agreement," Wall Street reported. Journal.
China-based Bytedance is the parent company of TikTok.
In recent weeks, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused TikTok of collecting personal information from Americans. "India has banned 106 Chinese applications, including TikTok, that threaten the privacy and security of its citizens," he told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday.
Media reports also said the Trump administration will soon order ByteDance to divest itself of its ownership of TikTok's U.S. operations.
"In its current form, TikTok represents a potential threat to personal privacy and our national security. I applaud the Trump Administration for taking this critical step, but we must do more than simply remove ByteDance from the equation," said Senator Marco Rubio.
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