Trump Vows to Ban TikTok as Microsoft Acquisition Talks Emerge
President Trump announces plans to ban TikTok from the U.S. through executive action, rejecting a potential Microsoft acquisition of the app. TikTok pushes back by highlighting its U.S. job creation and data privacy measures.
President Donald Trump announces his intention to ban TikTok from the United States, calling the planned action a "severance" from the Chinese-owned video app. He states that he has the authority to execute this ban through an executive order or another unspecified method, making these comments to reporters while traveling on Air Force One.
TikTok pushes back against the proposed ban by emphasizing its positive economic impact and strict security measures. A company spokesperson highlights that the app stores U.S. user data domestically, employs nearly 1,000 people in the country this year, and plans to hire 10,000 more while operating a $1 billion fund for American creators.
This announcement coincides with reports that Microsoft holds ongoing talks to acquire TikTok from its parent company ByteDance. However, Trump explicitly voices his opposition to this spinoff deal, which otherwise represents a rare consumer-focused acquisition attempt for the enterprise software giant.