Amazon has reportedly submitted a last-minute proposal to acquire TikTok as the widely-used video-sharing application approaches the U.S. government’s Saturday deadline to divest from Chinese ownership or risk a ban.
According to a report by The New York Times on Wednesday, Amazon’s offer is not being taken seriously by observers.
In January, President Trump established an April 5 deadline for TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to transfer ownership of the app to a non-Chinese entity, citing concerns over national security. On Sunday, Trump informed reporters that several potential buyers had expressed significant interest and suggested that an agreement might be reached before the deadline.
Amazon’s bid underscores the last-minute negotiations in Washington regarding TikTok’s ownership. Lawmakers from both parties have voiced serious national security apprehensions regarding the app’s Chinese ownership and enacted legislation last year aimed at compelling a sale of TikTok, which was scheduled to take effect in January.
Although the Supreme Court upheld this legislation, Trump delayed its implementation until Saturday.
Amazon has refrained from commenting, and TikTok has yet to respond to inquiries, as reported by The New York Times.
Trump is scheduled to meet with senior White House officials on Wednesday to deliberate on TikTok’s future. Insiders indicate that a potential agreement could involve new U.S. investors—such as tech giant Oracle and private equity firm Blackstone—while circumventing a formal sale. However, it remains uncertain whether such an arrangement would adhere to federal regulations.
Amazon already has connections to TikTok. The app, which boasts 170 million users in the U.S., has evolved into a significant shopping platform where influencers endorse products. While TikTok operates its own e-commerce feature, TikTok Shop, many influencers guide users to Amazon, earning commissions in the process. Additionally, Amazon has supplied some technical infrastructure for the platform.
