MrBeast Not Yet Involved in TikTok Bidding Race
Jimmy Donaldson, known online as MrBeast, is not currently involved in any bids to acquire TikTok, according to his spokesperson. The YouTube star expressed interest in purchasing the platform on January 13th, sparking speculation about his potential involvement.
However, MrBeast's spokesperson clarifies that Donaldson has not officially joined any investor groups. "Several buyers are holding ongoing discussions with Jimmy," the spokesperson told The Associated Press. "He has no exclusive agreements with any of them."
The group led by Jesse Tinsley, which has expressed interest in acquiring TikTok's U.S. operations, had previously included MrBeast as a participant. However, this claim has been refuted by Donaldson's spokesperson.
TikTok's future in the U.S. remains uncertain after President Joe Biden extended a pause on enforcement of the ban until early April. The platform's parent company, ByteDance, has said it is willing to engage with the U.S. government and Chinese officials to find a solution.
Other investors, such as Frank McCourt, Steven Mnuchin, and the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, have publicly expressed interest in purchasing TikTok. The ultimate outcome of the bidding process and the future of TikTok in the U.S. remain to be seen.