SAN FRANCISCO — TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app that has been under scrutiny from the Trump administration, is in talks to sell itself to Microsoft and other companies as President Trump weighs harsh actions against the business, including forcing TikTok to divorce itself from its parent company, ByteDance, said people with knowledge of the discussions. Mr. Trump, who said on Friday that he was considering “banning TikTok,” is expected to require ByteDance to sever ties with the popular app, according to a person familiar with the administration’s plans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. White House officials have said TikTok may pose a national security threat because of its Chinese ownership. The committee has decided to order ByteDance to divest TikTok, and the government is engaged in negotiations over the terms of the separation, the person said. The Trump administration has also been weighing other actions against TikTok, including adding its parent to a so-called “entity list,” which would prevent it from purchasing American products and services without a special license, said people with knowledge of the matter.

Source: International New York Times July 31, 2020 18:49 UTC