TikTok sale reportedly could be imminent after CEO's surprise resignation


Following TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer's surprise departure, a sale of the company's U.S. operations could reportedly be days away.
Mayer unexpectedly announced this week he would be stepping down as TikTok CEO just three months after being hired, a decision that came as President Trump threatens to ban the Chinese-owned app due to security concerns unless it's sold to an American company. CNBC's Julia Boorstin reported on Thursday that Mayer's resignation indicates "that we're likely to see a deal" with Microsoft or Oracle possibly "in the next 48 hours or so," while separately, a CNBC online report said TikTok is "nearing a deal to sell its U.S. operations" that may be announced "in the coming days."
In fact, Mayer's departure, according to this CNBC report, was intended to be announced alongside the sale, but it was moved up after news of his exit leaked.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As far as why Mayer decided to depart TikTok, he told employees that "as the political environment has sharply changed, I have done significant reflection on what the corporate structural changes will require, and what it means for the global role I signed up for." But Boorstin also reports that "one reason" he announced his exit is that he was "excluded" from the talks with Microsoft and Oracle, and he also reportedly "wanted to run a large, powerful company and not be running a division that was part of a large tech company" like Microsoft.
Mayer headed digital streaming at Disney prior to joining TikTok, and he was previously passed over for the position of Disney CEO after Bob Iger's resignation earlier this year.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Exploring Georgia's southern highlands
The Week Recommends Visit Javakheti, Georgia's 'lake district', and meet the last-remaining 'spirit wrestlers' in the region
-
Delivery drivers face continuing heat danger with Trump's OSHA pick
The Explainer David Keeling is the former head of UPS and also worked at Amazon
-
Is that the buzzing sound of climate change worsening sleep apnea?
Under the radar Catching diseases, not those ever-essential Zzs
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off