Microsoft Moves Forward With TikTok Purchase Plans After Talk With Trump
After discussions between its CEO and President Trump, Microsoft announced in a post on its corporate website that it is moving forward on talks to buy TikTok from Chinese parent company ByteDance after Trump told reporters on Friday that he was considering banning the social media site.
“Microsoft fully appreciates the importance of addressing the President’s concerns. It is committed to acquiring TikTok subject to a complete security review and providing proper economic benefits to the United States, including the United States Treasury,” the company said in its statement.
The Trump Administration has been weighing whether to ban or force a sale of TikTok over concern that ByteDance may be sharing data of American users with the Chinese government. Microsoft says it will continue talks with ByteDance and will decide whether or not to complete the sale by September 15. If completed, Microsoft would take over ownership of TikTok’s service in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The company says it will not provide further updates until talks are completed and says that there is no guarantee that a deal will actually be finalized.
“Microsoft would ensure that all private data of TikTok’s American users is transferred to and remains in the United States,” the company says. “To the extent that any such data is currently stored or backed-up outside the United States, Microsoft would ensure that this data is deleted from servers outside the country after it is transferred.”
As TikTok has grown in popularity, particularly with Gen Z users, politicians on both sides of the aisle have spoken in support of either banning the site’s use in the U.S. or taking it out of ByteDance’s hands. Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Lindsay Graham have spoken in support of the Trump Administration’s plans while Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi have also voiced their concerns over the app. Bloomberg reported this past week that staffers for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign have been ordered to delete TikTok from their phones while the Democratic and Republican National Committees have warned their state parties and campaigns to avoid using the app.
*Related stories from TheWrap:*
Microsoft Pauses Talks to Buy TikTok After Trump Suggests Total US Ban (Report)
Sarah Cooper Goes Meta on Trump's Possible TikTok Ban – on TikTok (Video)
Microsoft in Talks to Buy TikTok as Trump Prepares to Order Divestment From Chinese Parent Bytedance
