Microsoft's Interest In Buying TikTok Could Provoke New Competition Before Potential Ban

Microsoft may be interested in buying TikTok's U.S. business, but a potential deal between the Bill Gates-founded company and the Chinese video-sharing app could face unexpected hurdles from Silicon Valley players before finalizing.

At one point, both Google and Facebook were interested in purchasing the social platform, according to Fox Business' Charlie Gasparino and Lydia Moynihan. This, in turn, raises new questions about whether Microsoft could face competition. However, if they are presented with such a situation, it would likely not come from Apple. On Tuesday, the tech company denied reports that they harbor any interest in obtaining the ByteDance-owned app.

Additionally, completing a sale would also require an agreement between the purchaser and President Donald Trump, as he has indicated in recent weeks that he has considered banning the app in the U.S. if changes are not made.

READ: TikTok CEO Defends Video-Sharing App's Importance In Open Letter Following Potential US Ban

However, on Monday, President Trump gave his verbal approval surrounding a potential deal between TikTok and an American company, such as Microsoft. It has also been stated that the Chinese company has until Sept. 15 to officially close a deal or it could face a U.S. ban, which has made some influencers fear what's ahead.

"There’s been a lot of work on Microsoft’s part to set up a deal, and the president seems amenable," University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias told Fox Business, adding, "I don’t think the president wants to really shut down and disappoint all those users of the app. There are political reasons to do something workable that protects national security."