Amazon joins last-minute bidding war as TikTok faces U.S. ban deadline

By Lala Hajiyeva
April 3, 2025 15:07
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Reuters

TikTok’s fate in the United States is once again hanging in the balance, as a looming deadline threatens to force a sale—or trigger a nationwide ban—amid a flurry of last-minute bids and high-stakes political maneuvering.

The future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain as the April 5 deadline approaches for compliance with the "sell or be banned" mandate, initially introduced during President Trump’s earlier term. If TikTok’s U.S. operations are not sold by then, the platform faces another potential ban—its second this year, following a brief suspension in January as presidential leadership transitioned from President Biden back to President Trump.

In a surprising eleventh-hour development, Amazon has reportedly entered the bidding process. The tech giant, led by Jeff Bezos, is said to have submitted a last-minute offer. However, sources suggest that officials within the Trump administration are not giving the bid serious consideration at this time. Amazon has reportedly reached out to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding the proposal but has declined to comment publicly.

The list of interested parties reflects a highly eclectic mix. Other bids have come from a consortium that includes popular YouTuber MrBeast, another involving Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and a proposal from Perplexity AI, which envisions integrating TikTok’s capabilities into its search engine platform. Oracle also remains a contender.

While the deadline is fast approaching, President Trump has indicated he may extend it if necessary, leaving room for further negotiations. For now, the fate of TikTok in the U.S. hangs in the balance—and the coming days may prove decisive.

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News Politics TikTok Ban
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