Tech giant Oracle, considered Google’s arch-enemy in Silicon Valley, has reportedly joined the race to purchase the U.S. operations of the Chinese-owned app TikTok. Microsoft had previously announced plans to negotiate a purchase of the social media company.
The Financial Times reports that Oracle has expressed interest in purchasing the U.S. operations of TikTok, the Chinese-owned video-sharing app popular with teens that faces a ban from operating in the U.S. following an executive order from the Trump administration. Microsoft and Oracle have both expressed interest in purchasing the company in order to allow it to continue operating in the U.S.
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has reportedly held preliminary talks with TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance and is considering purchasing TikTok’s operations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Oracle has reportedly been working with a group of U.S. investors that currently own a stake in ByteDance, including General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital.
Previously, Microsoft has been the leading American firm in negotiations to purchase TikTok after the company announced in early August that it was holding discussions to explore the purchase of TikTok’s U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand business operations. Microsoft was also reportedly considering a purchase of TikTok’s entire global operations according to Financial Times sources, however, ByteDance reportedly does not want to sell any assets outside of the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Ellison has been a supporter of President Donald Trump. In February, Ellison held a fundraiser for the President at his estate in Coachella Valley, California. It is currently unclear wither the White House is more supportive of Oracle’s takeover of TikTok than of Microsoft.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com