Microsoft confirms it is in talks to buy TikTok after CEO talks to Trump

Microsoft to buy Tik Tok

Microsoft has confirmed that it has held talks with Chinese technology company ByteDance to acquire its trendy social app TikTok in the U.S. The tech giant also said in a statement that it will keep working with the U.S. government on a deal and that it intends to conclude talks by September 15.

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Microsoft revealed that the company’s CEO Satya Nadella has had conversations with US president Donald Trump during this process and is “prepared to continue discussions to explore a purchase of TikTok in the United States.”

“Microsoft will move quickly to pursue discussions with TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, in a matter of weeks, and in any event completing these discussions no later than September 15, 2020. During this process, Microsoft looks forward to continuing dialogue with the United States Government, including with the President”, Microsoft stated in post on their official site.

The move follows President Trump’s announcement on Friday, that he planned to ban the Chinese-owned social media platform from operating in the United States.

Trump Plans to Ban TikTok From Operating in the U.S

During a flight from Tampa on Friday, president Trump told press pool reporters traveling on Air Force One that, he plans to ban the Chinese-owned social media platform from operating in the United States as soon as Saturday.

“As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump told the reporters.

The president said he could use emergency economic powers or an executive order as early as Saturday to officially ban the Chinese-owned company from the U.S. He signaled he was not supportive of allowing an American company to acquire TikTok.

In response, TikTok’s US General Manager Vanessa Pappas recorded a message saying, “We’re not planning on going anywhere.” And also citing the U.S. investment in and involvement with the app, including roughly 100 million American users and nearly 1,000 people hired to the company’s U.S. team this year.

President Trump is however reported to have agreed to give ByteDance 45 days to negotiate a sale of the TikTok app to Microsoft.

Microsoft will not only be acquiring TikTok in the U.S but also in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and they might offer other American investors to get involved in the acquisition.