Jimmy Donaldson, widely known as MrBeast, expressed his excitement on TikTok about his potential acquisition of the platform. “I might be your new CEO soon, and I can’t wait!” he declared while aboard a private jet. To celebrate, he pledged $10,000 to five randomly chosen new followers.
Since Monday, his announcement has garnered over 73 million views. While Donaldson refrained from sharing specifics about his bid, he teased, “Just know it’s going to be insane.”
Donaldson is just one of several potential buyers interested in TikTok, the hugely popular app at the center of a political and security debate in the United States.
A law signed last year by President Joe Biden gave ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, a deadline of January 19 to sell the platform or face a U.S. ban. The legislation was aimed at addressing concerns over TikTok’s ties to the Chinese government and fears that it might pose a national security risk.
Former President Donald Trump has also suggested a different solution—a joint ownership model. “I think the U.S. should own 50% of TikTok,” he posted on Truth Social recently. “This way, we secure the platform, keep it under good management, and allow it to continue operating.”
Trump later signed an executive order extending TikTok’s operations for 75 more days, giving more time to decide the app’s fate.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Elon Musk, the world’s richest individual and owner of X (formerly Twitter), has been considered as a potential buyer. Musk recently voiced concerns over the imbalance between TikTok’s operations in the U.S. and X’s inability to function in China, tweeting, “The current situation is unfair. Something must change.”
When asked about Musk’s potential interest, Trump responded, “I’d support it if he wanted to buy it.” He also mentioned Larry Ellison, Oracle’s chairman, as another viable contender, stating, “Larry would be a good option too.”
Oracle, which serves as one of TikTok’s primary data storage providers, has previously warned that banning TikTok could harm its business. Oracle was also among the front-runners for acquiring TikTok back in 2020 when Trump first attempted to ban the app.
Billionaire investor Frank McCourt has also thrown his hat into the ring. Over the past few months, McCourt has expressed interest in TikTok and discussed plans to run the platform through his Project Liberty initiative. McCourt is a vocal critic of social media companies’ data practices and has proposed a bid that excludes TikTok’s proprietary algorithm. “We’re not interested in the Chinese technology,” McCourt told CNBC, admitting that the platform may lose some value without the algorithm.
Ultimately, Trump’s influence may play a pivotal role in determining TikTok’s new owner. “It will likely be someone politically aligned with him,” said Georgetown law professor Anupam Chander.
Chander also criticized the idea of a joint ownership model, arguing that it doesn’t align with existing laws. He suggested that Trump might push Congress to amend the legislation to make his proposal viable.
For now, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain. Chander described the Biden administration’s handling of the issue as a misstep. “It was a mistake to place such a critical platform into the hands of political controversy,” he said.
