Trump says he’s ‘open’ to Elon Musk buying TikTok as he confirms $500B Stargate investment in first White House presser
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PRESIDENT Donald Trump has said he's open to the possibility of Elon Musk purchasing TikTok. Trump, who signed an executive order delaying the federal ban of TikTok for 75 days just hours into his second term, called the popular video-sharing platform "worthless without a permit" from the United States.
![[President Trump speaking at a podium in the White House.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/RTRMADP_USA-TRUMP_1095978429_RC2MECAO2IQC_2025-01-21T223530Zjpg-JS965624966.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
While taking questions after announcing the $500 billion AI infrastructure project Stargate on Tuesday, Trump was asked if he'd be open to letting Musk buy TikTok. "I would be, yeah," Trump said. "I met with owners of TikTok, the big owners, it's worthless if it doesn't get a permit," Trump continued.
![[Elon Musk at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000965472322.jpg?strip=all&w=781)
"It's not like you can take the US. The whole thing is worthless. With a permit it's worth like a trillion dollars. "So, what I'm thinking saying to somebody is buy it and give half to the United States of America and we'll give you the a permit and they'll have a great partner, the United States.".
![[Donald Trump and Elon Musk at a rally.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/u-s-president-elect-donald-965068318.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Musk famously bought X, formerly Twitter, in 2022 for about $44 billion. But Trump also said he's open for Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle, to purchase TikTok. "I would like Larry to buy it," Trump told reporters. "Let's negotiate in front of the media, Larry," he quipped.
![[Shou Zi Chew at Donald Trump's inauguration.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/2025-trump-defeated-kamala-harris-965302171.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Ellison was on hand for the Stargate announcement, along with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and Sam Altman of OpenAI. The trio of executives are expected to funnel about $500 billion into the Stargate project over the next four years. "What we want to do is we want to keep it in this country," Trump said of building the artificial intelligence infrastructure.
![[Sundar Pichai, Shou Chew, Tim Cook, and Elon Musk at a ceremony.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-tiktok-965339928.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
