Could Elon Musk save TikTok in the US? China weighs option to sell the controversial TikTok social media app's US operations ahead of looming ban

Chinese officials are reportedly exploring a backup plan for TikTok after the Supreme Court appeared unlikely to save it from a US ban. With TikTok’s legal options nearly exhausted, multiple news outlets are reporting that China is considering an option it previously said it wouldn’t: letting ByteDance sell the app.

After years of rejecting the idea of a sale of TikTok’s US assets to an American buyer in order to avert a ban, China and ByteDance may have found an owner they could live with: Elon Musk.

Chinese government officials are reportedly mulling selling TikTok's US operations to Elon Musk to avoid a complete ban in the country.

Buying TikTok would further solidify Musk's position as one of the most powerful men in the U.S. and the world.

Chinese officials reportedly want ByteDance Ltd. to remain the owners of TikTok but is in discussion on how to work with the Trump Administration.

Musk acquired X (then Twitter) in October 2022 after a highly publicized back and forth, in which he gave up on the acquisition midway but ultimately closed the deal, paying $44 billion for the platform. X's user base has been on a decline since the acquisition, and advertising revenues have plummeted.

The media personality himself is also a controversial figure. MrBeast, real name James Stephen “Jimmy” Donaldson, has faced accusations of fostering a difficult working environment, bullying employees, rigging contests, misleading fans, and knowingly employing a registered sex offender.

TikTok’s time will expire on Jan. 19 if no buyer is found or the Supreme Court rules in the app’s favor. Here’s what to know.

ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is required to sell the app to a U.S.-based buyer or face a nationwide ban.

For years, C.E.O.s have used the annual gathering at the World Economic Forum to emphasize commitments to D.E.I., E.S.G. and globalization. Now the politics have changed.