TikTok has denied a report claiming that China might allow the sale of its US operations to Elon Musk. The report by Bloomberg suggested that Chinese officials are considering selling TikTok’s American business to Musk’s X platform if the US Supreme Court upholds a potential ban on TikTok.
The Supreme Court is set to rule on a law with a January 19 deadline, requiring TikTok to either sell its US operations or face a ban. TikTok has said multiple times that it will not sell its US business.
A TikTok spokesperson called the Bloomberg report “pure fiction,” adding that the company cannot comment on such claims. X, Musk’s social media platform, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Musk is a close ally of Donald Trump, the US president-elect, who has urged the Supreme Court to delay its decision until he takes office. Trump has also met with TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The Biden administration has expressed concerns that TikTok could be used for spying and political manipulation by the Chinese government. TikTok has denied these claims, stating that the proposed ban violates free speech rights.
