In a surprising but strategically timed move, former President Donald Trump announced during an interview with Fox News that he is assembling a group of wealthy investors to purchase TikTok, the popular social media platform currently owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance.
The announcement comes amid renewed pressure from U.S. lawmakers and regulators concerned about national security and data privacy. TikTok, which has over 150 million users in the United States, has long been under scrutiny due to its Chinese ownership and potential links to the Chinese government. In 2020, during his presidency, Trump signed an executive order attempting to ban the app unless it was sold to a U.S. entity—an effort that ultimately stalled in the courts and under the Biden administration.
Now, Trump appears to be reviving that plan—this time, from the private sector.
“We’re looking very strongly at putting a group together—some of the smartest, wealthiest people in the country—to make a serious offer,” Trump told Fox News. “TikTok can be a great platform if it’s in the right hands.”
Trump’s comments seem to serve multiple purposes. On the one hand, they align with longstanding national security concerns over TikTok’s data practices. On the other, they could potentially position Trump at the center of a major tech acquisition—right as he ramps up his campaign for the 2024 election.
While he did not name specific individuals or companies involved, Trump emphasized that this would be a “private, all-American” deal, focused on protecting user data and ensuring TikTok operates under U.S. laws and values.
The Legal and Political Landscape
Any attempt to purchase TikTok will face serious legal and political hurdles. ByteDance has repeatedly resisted calls to divest the app, and the Chinese government has indicated it may not allow the sale of TikTok’s proprietary algorithm, which is considered a national technology asset.
Moreover, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) would need to approve any acquisition, and the Biden administration has taken a more cautious but consistent stance on pushing ByteDance to sell or restructure its U.S. operations.
What’s Next?
It’s too early to tell whether Trump’s effort will materialize into a concrete bid. However, the former president’s involvement alone could raise the stakes—and the temperature—around TikTok’s future in the United States.
Whether this is a genuine investment strategy or a political move to reassert influence over a hot-button issue, one thing is clear: TikTok’s fate in the U.S. remains a powerful flashpoint at the intersection of technology, politics, and global power.
