Microsoft CEO says company’s failed TikTok deal ‘strangest thing I’ve worked on’
- Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said he was looking forward at the time to bringing Microsoft’s security, child safety and cloud expertise to TikTok
- Microsoft began talks on the proposed acquisition in August 2020, but the deal collapsed by September
Speaking at the Code Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on Monday, Nadella said he was looking forward at the time to bringing Microsoft’s security, child safety and cloud expertise to TikTok.
Trump’s divestment push ended by the time he left office in January and no potential suitor ended up acquiring TikTok.
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“It’s unbelievable,” Nadella said of the experience during an onstage interview at the Code Conference. “I learned so many things about so much and so many people. First of all, TikTok came to us. We didn’t go to TikTok.”
“TikTok was caught in between a lot of things happening across two capitals,” he said. “President Trump had a particular point of view of what he was trying to get done there, and then it just dropped off. The [U.S. government] had a particular set of requirements and then it just disappeared.”
ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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“At this point, I’m happy with what I have,” Nadella said.
He also expressed support for greater government regulation of cryptocurrency rules, which could stifle ransomware attacks since the ransoms often flow through opaque systems.