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fliptop [soylentnews.org] writes:

President Donald Trump [washingtonpost.com] said Monday night that Microsoft was in contention to buy TikTok [washingtonpost.com], having previously said that he is eager to forge a deal that would “save” the popular video app from a ban:

Such a deal, if realized, would put the video app used by millions of Americans under the control of the country’s second-most-valuable tech company, which has been aggressively pushing into new lines of business including artificial intelligence and gaming. Representatives for Microsoft declined to comment on Monday.

When asked aboard Air Force One whether Microsoft was involved in discussions for acquiring TikTok, Trump said: “I would say yes. A lot of interest in TikTok.”

Microsoft previously discussed buying TikTok in 2020 [washingtonpost.com], when Trump tried to force a sale of the app during his first term. That proposal crumbled when Trump’s push to force the app’s sale or ban was rejected by the courts.

[...] Analysts have estimated TikTok could be worth $50 billion, or far more, depending on the underlying technology for sale.

Previously: President Trump Threatens TikTok Ban, Microsoft Considers Buying TikTok's U.S. Operations[Updated 2] [soylentnews.org]

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