Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, has sparked interest in buying TikTok but is not officially part of the bidding process just yet, according to his representative.
In January, MrBeast expressed interest in purchasing TikTok after posting a tweet saying he’d “buy TikTok so it doesn’t get banned.” He also claimed that several billionaires had reached out to him about acquiring the platform. However, a spokesperson for MrBeast has since clarified that Donaldson hasn’t signed an exclusive agreement with any potential buyers.
The bidding process is ongoing, but the outcome and dollar amount of the offer are still unknown. The US government had set a deadline for TikTok to find an approved buyer by January 19 or face a nationwide ban, which was temporarily lifted after President Trump intervened.
Trump has expressed interest in having the US government broker a deal for 50% control of TikTok, but it’s unclear if he’ll pursue this option. Other investors, including billionaire Frank McCourt and tech titan Elon Musk, have publicly expressed their interest in purchasing the platform. A consortium led by McCourt has offered $20 billion in cash for TikTok.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future in the US, ByteDance is reportedly open to exploring alternative solutions that keep the platform available. The company’s chairman, Bill Ford, has said they’re prepared to engage with the Trump administration and Chinese officials to find a solution.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/mrbeast-buying-tiktok-ban-trump-b4dff88315f192dd6a6f7289fa8db2bc