Trump open to Elon Musk or Oracle’s Larry Ellison buying TikTok

US President Donald Trump has expressed openness to the idea of Elon Musk or Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison purchasing TikTok. During a press conference announcing a $500 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, Trump proposed an unconventional deal. He appeared to be open to Ellison buying the giving half of the ownership to the United States to which Ellison seemed enthusiastic.

The mechanics of such a deal, especially how the U.S. government could legally co-own a platform without infringing on First Amendment rights, remain unclear. This event highlights how Silicon Valley's relationship with Trump might shape policies over the next few years. Meanwhile, Trump signed an executive order delaying enforcement of a divestiture law targeting service providers like Oracle, Apple, and Google. ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, is also fielding offers from others, including billionaire Frank McCourt and YouTube creator MrBeast.

Trump first issued executive orders to ban TikTok in 2020, citing concerns about its Chinese ownership and national security risks. One of Trump’s orders required ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its U.S. operations. This led to negotiations with Oracle and Walmart to create a U.S.-owned entity, where the two companies would hold a combined 20% stake. However, the deal was later stalled.

With the 75-day suspension of the ban and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s attendance at the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States, the future trajectory remains to be seen.