US President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that Microsoft and other US firms have agreed to make a “big payment” to the country’s treasury in a prospective acquisition of Chinese short-form video app TikTok.
“If you buy it, the United States, which is making it possible to buy, because without us they can’t do anything, should be compensated, properly compensated, with a very big payment,” Trump said during a Fox News interview.
“THEY ALL AGREED TO SALE”
“So that money would go into the Treasury of the United States. And by the way, Microsoft, which is looking at it, and others, they all agreed to that,” he said.
Trump publicly lent his support to the sale Monday, setting a Sept. 15 deadline for US firms to buy the application. If it is not bought by then, Trump said the app would be banned in the US.
Microsoft announced Sunday it is resuming negotiations to acquire TikTok after CEO Satya Nadella spoke with Trump, saying in a statement that it “fully appreciates the importance of addressing the President’s concerns,” and would acquire the company pending a “complete security review.”