Trump Supports Musk's Possible TikTok Acquisition Amid National Security Debates

President Donald Trump expressed openness to Elon Musk purchasing TikTok, amid discussions on national security concerns regarding its ownership by China-based ByteDance. TikTok was temporarily banned in the U.S. pending the sale. Musk criticized what he sees as an unbalanced business climate between the U.S. and China.

President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday his willingness to see billionaire Elon Musk acquire the widely popular social media app TikTok if Musk shows interest. This conversation surfaces as the app faces pressures to change ownership following directives citing national security concerns.

TikTok, with 170 million users in the U.S., encountered a temporary shutdown, aligning with a law mandating it either be sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban. While reports indicate Chinese officials are in preliminary talks to consider selling TikTok's U.S. operations to Musk, the company has denied such intentions.

Amidst these developments, on Monday, Trump extended the enforcement of the mandate by 75 days, providing ByteDance a temporary reprieve. Critics argue that these moves encroach on free speech, while Musk highlights issues of a business imbalance, advocating that TikTok's operational rights in the U.S. need addressing.

(With inputs from agencies.)