Elon Musk Is the Latest Potential U.S.-Based Buyer for TikTok Before the Ban

Although he made his money in Tesla and other tech ventures, Elon Musk has spent the last few years increasingly involved in the worlds of both social media and politics. His purchase of X (formerly Twitter) helped transform that platform into a much more right-wing site, and now, reports suggest that he could be a potential buyer for TikTok.

TikTok is in search of a buyer in large part because of a ban that passed Congress in April. That ban is set to take effect on Jan. 19, 2025, and would ban the app in the United States unless the American piece of the company is bought by a U.S. company or citizen. Here's what we know about whether Elon could be that buyer.

The reporting that Elon could be a potential buyer originated with Bloomberg, who reported that "Chinese officials are evaluating a potential option that involves Elon Musk acquiring the U.S. operations of TikTok."

It's unclear whether TikTok has spoken with Elon about this potential transaction, and when asked for comment, TikTok called the reports "pure fiction."

Even so, there are many who think this purchase might be on the table, in part because a ban now seems likely. Elon, who is currently a close ally of incoming President Donald Trump, could purchase the company in part because Trump seems to oppose a ban.

Opinion in Republican circles on whether the app should be banned is mixed, though, with some in the party concerned about the influence China could wield over the app, and therefore over its American users.

In addition to his relationship with Trump, Elon also has a strong relationship with the leaders in Beijing who could orchestrate such a sale, and it's unclear how he would finance a potential purchase.

Another option is for ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to allow the ban to go into effect and then begin negotiations with the White House. The ban would only keep the app from updating, so there would still be time for negotiation.

If Elon were to combine TikTok with the considerable influence he already wields as the owner of X, he could build a social media empire that would rival the one established by Mark Zuckerberg.

There are many who would fear the way Elon's influence could shift the kind of content that is allowed on TikTok, as he has done with X.

Ostensibly in the name of free speech, Elon has allowed a much more diverse array of content to be published on X, including conspiracy theories, and also appears to have tweaked the algorithm so that it would favor pro-Trump posts.

For now, though, it seems like his purchase of TikTok is still just one idea among many. The ban is set to go into effect in a matter of days, but when it does, it could just be the beginning of the next phase in negotiations.