Elon Musk has stated that he has no intention of acquiring TikTok’s operations in the United States. The world’s wealthiest person, and a key advisor to former US President Donald Trump, made the comments during a video appearance at a German forum in late January, which were released on Saturday.
“I’ve not put in a bid for TikTok and I don’t have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok,” Musk said.
TikTok is currently facing a US law that mandates the company’s separation from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or risk being banned in the country due to national security concerns about user data.
In one of his first actions in office, Trump paused enforcement of the law, which would have effectively made TikTok illegal just before he began his second term. Shortly after, Trump suggested that Musk, who owns social media platform X, Tesla, and several other companies, might be interested in purchasing the platform. However, Musk made it clear he wasn’t interested.
“I don’t use TikTok personally, so I’m not that familiar with it,” Musk said. “I’m not chomping at the bit to acquire TikTok.”
Musk previously acquired Twitter, now known as X, for $44 billion in 2022, with the intention of promoting “free speech.” However, since the acquisition, critics have raised concerns about an increase in hate speech and misinformation on the platform.
Musk, who was a major financial supporter of Trump’s presidential campaign, is also leading Trump’s budget-cutting initiatives. His “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) has been targeting federal agencies and regulators, aiming to shut them down or fire staff, particularly those who don’t align with Trump’s political views.
On Saturday, a US judge issued an emergency order preventing Musk’s reform team from accessing personal and financial data for millions of Americans stored at the Treasury Department, according to court documents.
During the German forum, Musk also criticized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which aim to support historically marginalized communities. “DEI is simply racism rebranded,” Musk said. “I’m against racism and sexism no matter who it’s directed against.” US officials have been working to implement Trump’s efforts to roll back DEI programs across federal agencies, eliminating training programs, cutting grants, and removing hundreds of employees.
In Germany, Musk has also expressed strong support for the far-right anti-immigration AfD party, a controversial stance in a country with a sensitive Nazi past.
