In a dramatic eleventh-hour move, Amazon has placed a bid to acquire TikTok, just days before a U.S. ban on the popular social media platform is set to take effect.
A Trump administration official confirmed Wednesday that Amazon submitted its offer in a letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not disclose the bid’s specifics. The New York Times first reported the development.
The urgency stems from a national security law upheld by the Supreme Court, which requires TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform to an approved U.S. buyer or face an operational shutdown in the country. President Donald Trump, who has millions of TikTok followers, temporarily paused the ban on Inauguration Day but has signaled that he expects a resolution by Saturday. While he has the power to delay the ban further, he has also indicated that he prefers a deal to be finalized quickly.
Amazon has declined to comment on the bid, and TikTok has not responded to requests for a statement.
Amazon’s bid isn’t the only one on the table. Several major players have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations, including:
- Oracle: The software giant already holds a 12.5% stake in TikTok Global as part of a 2020 agreement when it became the app’s cloud technology provider.
- Blackstone: The investment firm has also been exploring a potential bid.
- Perplexity AI: The artificial intelligence startup proposed a merger with TikTok’s U.S. operations in January, emphasizing its ability to revamp the platform’s algorithm without creating a monopoly.
- Frank McCourt’s Consortium: The billionaire businessman, along with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian as a strategic adviser, reportedly offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash for TikTok’s U.S. platform.
- Employer.com Founder Jesse Tinsley: Tinsley’s consortium is said to have put forth an offer exceeding $30 billion.
- Wyoming Businessman Reid Rasner: Rasner claims to have made the highest bid so far—approximately $47.5 billion.
The controversy surrounding TikTok isn’t just about business; it’s a matter of national security, according to U.S. officials. Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have expressed concerns that ByteDance could potentially share user data—including browsing history, location tracking, and biometric identifiers—with the Chinese government.
TikTok has repeatedly denied these allegations, stating it has never shared data with Beijing and wouldn’t comply with such requests. However, U.S. officials argue that China’s national security laws could compel ByteDance to hand over user information if demanded by authorities. Despite the warnings, no concrete evidence has been publicly presented to confirm these fears.
Trump’s stance on TikTok has fluctuated over time. During his first term, he signed executive orders banning transactions with ByteDance and WeChat, citing security risks. However, since then, his view of TikTok has softened, particularly as he’s leveraged the platform’s vast reach to engage younger voters. He has acknowledged TikTok’s influence in shaping public opinion and political discourse.
With the Saturday deadline fast approaching, the next few days will be crucial in determining TikTok’s fate in the United States. Whether Amazon’s bid gains traction or another company emerges as the frontrunner remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the battle over TikTok is far from over.
Source: AP News – Amazon’s last-minute bid for TikTok comes as a US ban on the platform is set to take effect Saturday
