TikTok Goes the Clock: AppLovin and Amazon Jump In

Tech giants race against time as Trump’s TikTok ultimatum looms, with AppLovin and Amazon making surprise bids to reshape the social media landscape.

Editorial Team (ET)May 9, 2025

As the clock ticks down to April 5, the future of TikTok in the United States hangs in a precarious balance. The Trump administration is set to make a critical decision that could reshape the tech and social media landscape, not just domestically, but globally. Two of America’s tech giants—AppLovin and Amazon—have unexpectedly entered the race to take control of the wildly popular video-sharing app, offering competing visions for its future.

Sources close to the situation confirm that AppLovin, a mobile technology powerhouse valued at $100 billion, has submitted a formal bid for TikTok. In an unexpected twist, AppLovin has reportedly been in discussions with billionaire casino mogul Steve Wynn to back the deal, bringing an intriguing mix of gaming, tech, and politics into the fold.

Amazon, meanwhile, made a surprise eleventh-hour play with an offer letter reportedly sent directly to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. While insiders say the White House is skeptical about Amazon's chances of progressing, the company’s involvement underscores just how monumental TikTok's fate has become in the broader geopolitical chessboard.

AppLovin's AI Might: The Pitch to Trump

At the core of AppLovin’s pitch is its robust artificial intelligence technology. Analysts have long argued that AppLovin possesses some of the most powerful data aggregation and ad-targeting capabilities outside of TikTok itself. The company’s bid positions it not just as a safe harbor for TikTok’s massive U.S. user base, but also as a vehicle for economic growth and job creation—two themes that resonate deeply with Trump’s America First economic agenda.

According to insiders, AppLovin’s proposal has been carefully crafted to address the national security concerns that led the administration to demand a TikTok divestiture in the first place. The app's parent company, ByteDance, has been under intense scrutiny for its alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. AppLovin’s leadership contends that their domestic infrastructure, paired with strict data sovereignty protocols, would safeguard American users’ information while maintaining the platform’s virality.

Adding to the intrigue, Steve Wynn’s rumored involvement offers political weight. While Wynn did not comment publicly, his history as a Trump confidant and significant GOP donor suggests that his backing could help move the needle inside the West Wing.

Amazon’s Long Shot and Oracle’s Strategic Play

Amazon’s late bid raised eyebrows across Silicon Valley and Washington alike. While the full details of the offer remain under wraps, the company’s move was confirmed by individuals briefed on a letter sent to key administration figures. Despite Amazon's technological prowess and massive cloud infrastructure, sources suggest the White House is not viewing this offer as a frontrunner.

One reason may be that Amazon’s involvement could complicate the optics of the deal. The tech giant is already under intense antitrust scrutiny and adding TikTok to its portfolio could be seen as an overreach. Additionally, Amazon's position in the advertising market has not matched that of either TikTok or AppLovin, making the synergy less compelling.

Meanwhile, Oracle continues to circle the deal through a more consortium-based approach. Working alongside existing U.S. investors, Oracle aims to craft a structure that meets regulatory requirements and satisfies all parties involved, including ByteDance. Heavy-hitter private equity firms Silver Lake and Blackstone are reportedly part of the coalition under discussion. Their involvement could provide the financial muscle and deal-making sophistication needed to satisfy the Trump administration's criteria.

White House, Beijing, and the Politics of Tech

This saga is unfolding against a backdrop of renewed U.S.-China tensions. Trump is expected to unveil a new round of tariffs this week, a move that Beijing has indicated will influence its stance on any TikTok deal. While Chinese officials have signaled a willingness to allow ByteDance to proceed with a U.S.-based transaction, they reportedly view TikTok’s future as one lever among many in broader trade negotiations.

Sources familiar with Beijing’s thinking suggest that while they may permit ByteDance to sell TikTok, they want the move to be seen as part of a reciprocal agreement with Washington. That means they’ll be closely watching the rollout of Trump’s tariff package on Wednesday, when the president is also scheduled to be briefed on the various TikTok proposals.

Present at the Wednesday meeting will be a who’s who of Trump’s national security and economic brain trust—Vice President JD Vance, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Together, they are expected to advise Trump on which deal structure, if any, can satisfy both national security concerns and geopolitical considerations.

What’s Next for TikTok—and the Internet

The implications of this deal extend far beyond who gets to slap their logo on TikTok’s login screen. This decision could reset the tone of U.S.-China tech relations, establish new precedents on foreign ownership of American-facing digital platforms, and even shape the 2024 election narrative.

A successful acquisition would have to satisfy competing imperatives: national security, user trust, commercial viability, and international diplomacy. That’s no small feat—and it’s why the bidding process has attracted such a diverse cast of contenders. From AppLovin’s AI-led approach to Oracle’s enterprise expertise and Amazon’s surprise maneuvering, each suitor brings a distinct angle to the table.

For TikTok’s 170 million American users, the uncertainty is palpable. The app’s fate—once a cultural curiosity—is now a symbol of something much larger: the intersection of youth culture, national identity, and global power.

If no deal is finalized by April 5, the administration could move to ban TikTok altogether, sparking legal challenges and possibly provoking further retaliation from Beijing. Such an outcome would reverberate across industries, from advertising to cloud services, and could redefine what’s considered "safe" foreign investment in the tech sector.

Until then, all eyes are on Washington. And Trump.

Conclusion

The battle for TikTok isn’t just a corporate tug-of-war—it’s a geopolitical showdown playing out on smartphones across America. With AppLovin, Amazon, Oracle, and private equity titans all in the mix, and a hardline deadline just days away, the coming hours could reshape the digital landscape for years to come. Whether it's an AI-driven solution, a cloud-based safeguard, or a White House mandate, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

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