Musk: “I Am Not Interested in Buying TikTok”

Speculation surrounding Elon Musk’s possible acquisition of TikTok has been put to rest after the billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO made it clear that he has no interest in purchasing the platform.

Speaking at a summit hosted by The WELT Group, Musk was asked whether he planned to buy the controversial ByteDance-owned app, to which he responded, “I have not put in a bid for TikTok.”

His statement followed remarks by Donald Trump, who recently suggested that Musk could take over TikTok if he wanted to. However, Musk clarified that he does not use the platform and has no plans for it.

Twitter Takeover Was an Exception, Not a Rule

Musk further elaborated that he does not typically acquire companies. “I usually build companies from scratch,” he explained, referring to his history of founding Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and other ventures.

He described his purchase of Twitter (now X) as a rare decision, highlighting that he prefers to develop businesses rather than acquire existing ones.

TikTok’s Legal Challenges in the U.S.

TikTok remains under pressure as the U.S. government pushes ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets, citing national security concerns over potential Chinese government access to American user data.

Although ByteDance has denied these claims, the platform faces continuous scrutiny, with Apple and Google yet to reinstate it in their app stores after recent policy changes.

To counter restrictions, TikTok has introduced a workaround, allowing Android users in the U.S. to download the app directly from its website.

Meanwhile, Trump, who once sought to ban TikTok during his presidency, has shifted his stance, acknowledging the app’s role in mobilizing young voters.

With ByteDance standing firm against a sale, TikTok’s fate in the U.S. remains uncertain.