Jimmy Donaldson, widely recognized as MrBeast, is not currently in the race to bid for TikTok, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the internet personality.
The intrigue started with a post from Donaldson on January 13, where he stated his intention to buy TikTok in order to prevent its ban. He followed this with another post the next day, expressing that numerous billionaires had contacted him in response to his tweet, suggesting the potential to make the purchase a reality.
Compounding this speculation was information released this week linking Donaldson to a group of investors led by Jesse Tinsley, founder and CEO of Recruiter.com Ventures, who are interested in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations through an all-cash deal. Reports revealed that MrBeast was identified as part of this investor group in a post by Tinsley and a subsequent announcement from law firm Paul Hastings LLP, which is advising on the bid.
However, in response to reports circulating on Tuesday night, MrBeast’s representative, Matthew Hiltzik, clarified that Donaldson has not yet committed to any proposals. Hiltzik stated on Wednesday that “several buyers are in discussions with Jimmy,” but he currently holds no exclusive agreements with any of them.
The outcome of this investor group’s efforts remains uncertain, and details regarding the financial aspect of their bid are still undisclosed. When approached for further information on the matter, a spokesperson for Tinsley declined to comment. Additionally, they did not provide clarity on why Donaldson was included as a participant in this effort.
The future of TikTok in the United States remains precarious. Following a federal law supported by the Supreme Court, TikTok must secure a verified buyer for its U.S. operations by January 19 to avoid a comprehensive ban. As a precaution, the app disabled access for users in the U.S. late Saturday, only to resume service the next day with a message thanking then-president Donald Trump, who had promised to delay the ban.
Trump has previously shown support for TikTok, suggesting it aided him in securing a younger voter base during the last presidential election. During his administration, he sought to prohibit the app, labeling it a national security risk due to its affiliations with China. Immediately upon taking office again, Trump ordered the Justice Department to halt actions concerning the TikTok ban until early April, indicating a desire to negotiate a deal for 50% control of the platform, which has attracted interest from various wealthy individuals.
On Tuesday, Trump expressed potential openness to a TikTok acquisition by Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison or tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who previously contributed around $200 million to a political action committee aiming to garner support for Trump. However, neither Ellison nor Musk has publicly shown interest in acquiring TikTok.
Other investors like Frank McCourt, a billionaire, and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have expressed their willingness to purchase TikTok. Additionally, an AI startup named Perplexity AI proposed creating a new entity that would combine its operations with TikTok’s U.S. business, as stated by a source familiar with the situation.
McCourt’s consortium has suggested a $20 billion cash offer to ByteDance for TikTok. Kevin O’Leary, the “Shark Tank” star and a participant in this effort, mentioned on CNBC that he still harbors interest in the app but is concerned that the legislation may hinder progress. “We need to ask Congress to revisit the order and allow for these new options, as they are not currently available,” he remarked.
Following the bipartisan TikTok legislation signed by former President Biden in April, ByteDance has affirmed it does not intend to sell the platform, contesting the law in court for several months. Though China has voiced disapproval of the divestment strategy, recent signals suggest a potential softening of this position.
In various interviews conducted this week, Bill Ford, chair of the global investment firm General Atlantic and a board member of ByteDance, indicated that the company is willing to collaborate with both the Trump administration and Chinese officials to find a way to keep TikTok accessible. Attempts to obtain comments from representatives of ByteDance and TikTok have not received a response.
