Twitter and TikTok have reportedly engaged in a preliminary discussion regarding a merger, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Regardless of the discussion, the WSJ still says Microsoft is the definite frontrunner to purchase TikTok. The outlet says TikTok would have to overcome antitrust criticism from the public due to the optics of the potential deal. Also, Microsoft has far more capital to spend on a deal to purchase TikTok.
The Trump Administration proposed an executive order on August 6 that would ban TikTok from the United States due to its connection to the Chinese Government. Donald Trump has described it as a matter of national security.
"We are shocked by the recent Executive Order, which was issued without any due process," TikTok officials said in a statement. "For nearly a year, we have sought to engage with the US government in good faith to provide a constructive solution to the concerns that have been expressed. What we encountered instead was that the Administration paid no attention to facts, dictated terms of an agreement without going through standard legal processes, and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses."
Both Twitter and TikTok declined to comment on the reports.
[Via]
