The world is bracing for impact as the so-called “Liberation Day” arrives Wednesdaythe latest installment of President Trump’s tariff announcements since his return to office in January.
In a Rose Garden address at 4 p.m. ET, the president is set to unveil a sweeping “reciprocal tariff” plan, targeting not only Mexico, Canada, and China, but also other countries in a trade surplus with the U.S. or those holding tariffs on American products.
It is still unclear what countries and industries will be impacted by today’s announcement, as well as the rate of tariffs imposed, and if they will be imposed universally or by country. However, the policy changes are said to go into effect after his speech.
While much is still uncertain, here is how many world leaders are reacting ahead of Trump’s “Liberation Day” speech.
Mexico
President Claudia Sheinbaum’s “cool head” approach has helped Mexico evade some of Trump’s tariffs since he first announced 25% levies on Mexican exports in early February.
Sheinbaum said Wednesday in her daily morning briefing that she would announce an “integral plan” on Thursday. “Our interest is to strengthen the Mexican economy,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s not an issue of if you tariff me, I tariff you.”
Canada
Following on-again-off-again tariffs between the U.S. and Canadathe country America long considered its closest allyCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned Trump that Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on American exports, although no specifics have been revealed yet.
China
In early February, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports, upending a tariff war between the world’s two largest economies. After the U.S. raised tariffs to 20% in early March, China responded with retaliatory tariffs, with 10% and 15% levies on various food and agricultural goods.
Ahead of “Liberation Day,” China held economic dialogue with Japan and South Korea, seeking a coordinated response among the three nations. However, Japanese and South Korean officials said that decision was not taken.
EU
Ahead of the April 2 announcement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “Europe did not start this confrontation, we do not necessarily want to retaliate, but if it is necessary, we have a strong plan to retaliate and we will use it.”
In early March, the European Commission responded to Trump’s tariffs on aluminum and steel by launching “swift and proportionate countermeasures on U.S. imports into the EU,” a statement read. Countermeasures included tariffs on American goods such as bourbon and motorbikes worth up to $28 billion in exports.
An artificial intelligence watchdog is accusing OpenAI of training its default ChatGPT model on copyrighted book content without permission.
In a new paper published this week, the AI Disclosures Project alleges that OpenAI likely trained its GPT-4o model using non-public material from OReilly Media. The researchers used a legally obtained dataset of 34 copyrighted OReilly books and found that GPT-4o showed strong recognition of the company’s paywalled content. By contrast, GPT-3.5 Turbo appeared more familiar with publicly accessible OReilly book samples.
“These results highlight the urgent need for increased corporate transparency regarding pre-training data sources as a means to develop formal licensing frameworks for AI content training,” the authors wrote in the paper. One of the nonprofit’s founders and paper’s authors, Tim O’Reilly, is the CEO of O’Reilly Media.
An OpenAI spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to Fast Company‘s request for comment.
Training data lies at the heart of all artificial intelligence models. Large language models require an incredible amount of information that it uses to guide back on when it churns out text or images for users.
OpenAI has struck up some licensing deals to be able to train their models on certain content. But the company, which recently fundraised and is worth $300 billion, has also come under fire for sourcing certain content. The New York Times, for example, is leading a charge against OpenAI and minority owner Microsoft over alleged copyright infringement.
The researchers acknowledged limitations in their study but argued the issue is likely part of a broader systemic problem in how large language models are developed.
“Sustainable ecosystems need to be designed so that both creators and developers can benefit from generative AI,” the authors said. “Otherwise, model developers are likely to rapidly plateau in their progress, especially as newer content becomes produced less and less by humans.”
On Wednesday, Tesla reported its largest drop in delivery numbers to date, and a 13% drop in sales since the beginning of the year, in part due to backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s role in the U.S. government, coupled with growing competition in the EV market.
However, by midday, shares of the EV maker started moving higher following an unconfirmed Politico report that Musk may soon step away from his role in the Trump administration. That report said Trump insiders and allies have become increasingly “frustrated with his unpredictability” and see him as a “political liability,” but the retreat is also likely the result of the hit his businesses have taken.
Heres what to know about the latest Tesla delivery numbers and sales, as well as how the companys stock is doing today.
Tesla first-quarter sales and delivery numbers plummet
A look at the numbers shows Tesla posted its worst sales in nearly three years. It delivered 336,681 cars in the first quarter, down from 387,000 in the first three months of 2024 and less than in any period since the second quarter of 2022. The EV maker missed analyst estimates of as low as 350,000 vehicles.
Analysts had predicted lower sales following poor European numbers, and because Tesla temporarily closed some factories to update the new Model Y. On Tuesday, Electrek reported Tesla has $200 million worth of unsold Cybertrucks sitting in its inventory.
Tesla sales in Europe and China are down
Wednesday’s sales report follows data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association that confirm Tesla sales fell 49% in Europe in the first two months of the quarter, despite the fact that overall EV sales in Europe were up 28%, pointing to a loss of the electric vehicle market share. Another reason for the drop can be attributed to European Tesla boycotts over Musk’s controversial political views, including his support for Europe’s far-right parties.
While Europe isn’t the largest market for electric vehicles, China is. China is also Tesla’s second largest market after the U.S., where it now faces growing competition from other EV automakers. Chinese automaker BYD reported sales of more than 416,000 fully electric passenger vehicles in the quarter, up 39% from the previous year, overtaking Tesla as the worlds largest seller of EVs.
What does this mean for TSLA stock?
Shares of Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA) fell about 2% in early trading and are now up about 4% in midday trading at the time of this writing due in part to that Politico report that Musk may be moving on from the White House.
While the Tesla stock started the year strong, and nearly doubled after the presidential election, it has lost 44% since December’s all-time high. In 2025, the stock is down over 35% year-to-date, taking a major hit due to the Musk backlash, including protests at Tesla dealerships in the form of Tesla Takedowns.
A recent CNN poll found 53% of Americans rate Musk negatively, with only 35% giving him a positive rating, making him even more unpopular than Vice President JD Vance (who has a 44% unfavorable rating.)
On Wednesday, Tesla reported its largest drop in delivery numbers to date, and a 13% drop in sales since the beginning of the year, in part due to backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s role in the U.S. government, coupled with growing competition in the EV market.
However, by midday, shares of the EV maker started moving higher following an unconfirmed Politico report that Musk may soon step away from his role in the Trump administration. That report said Trump insiders and allies have become increasingly “frustrated with his unpredictability” and see him as a “political liability.” But the retreat is also likely the result of the hit his businesses have taken.
Heres what to know about the latest Tesla delivery numbers and sales, as well as how the companys stock is doing today.
Tesla first-quarter sales and delivery numbers plummet
A look at the numbers shows Tesla posted its worst sales in nearly three years. It delivered 336,681 cars in the first quarter, down from 387,000 in the first three months of 2024 and less than in any period since the second quarter of 2022. The EV maker missed analyst estimates of as low as 350,000 vehicles.
Analysts had predicted lower sales following poor European numbers and because Tesla temporarily closed some factories to update the new Model Y. On Tuesday, Electrek reported Tesla has $200 million worth of unsold Cybertrucks sitting in its inventory.
Tesla sales in Europe and China are down
Wednesday’s sales report follows data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, which confirms Tesla sales fell 49% in Europe in the first two months of the quarter, despite the fact that overall EV sales in Europe were up 28%, pointing to a loss of the electric vehicle market share.
Another reason for the drop can be attributed to European Tesla boycotts over Musk’s controversial political views, including his support for Europe’s far-right parties.
Yet, Europe isn’t the largest market for electric vehicles, China is. China is also Tesla’s second-largest market after the U.S., where it now faces growing competition from other EV automakers. Chinese automaker BYD reported sales of more than 416,000 fully electric passenger vehicles in the quarter, up 39% from the previous year, overtaking Tesla as the worlds largest seller of EVs.
What does this mean for TSLA stock?
Shares of Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA) fell about 2% in early trading and are now up about 4% in midday trading at the time of this writing, due in part to that Politico report that Musk may be soon moving on from the White House.
While Tesla stock started the year strong, and nearly doubled after the presidential election, it has lost 44% since December’s all-time high. In 2025, the stock is down over 35% year to date, taking a major hit due to the Musk backlash, including protests at Tesla dealerships in the form of Tesla Takedowns.
A recent CNN poll found 53% of Americans rate Musk negatively, with only 35% giving him a positive rating, making him even more unpopular than Vice President JD Vance (who has a 44% unfavorable rating).
For Jews in Canada, much like their American counterparts, Manischewitz kosher wine has become a staple of Passover and other religious celebrations.
But now many are struggling to find the New York state-made drink for the wine-heavy spring holiday as Canadian government retailers and wholesale monopolies pull American-made products from shelves in protest of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s tariffs and annexation threats.
The missing wine illustrates how Trump’s instigation of a trade war with Canada and his bellicose talk is causing pain for Canadian consumers and U.S. beverage companies like Manischewitz owner E & J Gallo Winery, as well as potential opportunities for Canadian competitors.
Many Canadian consumers are embracing a “Buy Canadian” movement and avoiding U.S.-made goods, but for some specialized products like sweet and fruity Manischewitz kosher wine, there is no true alternative, kosher goods retailers and consumers say.
Canada’s provincial governments control liquor sales and wholesaling, and since early March have all banned U.S. alcohol imports as well as most distribution and sales, including Manischewitz wine and Jack Daniels bourbon whiskey.
Existing stocks have been yanked from shelves across the sprawling nation. Private stores, allowed to sell existing supplies, told Reuters their Manischewitz bottles were snapped up by shoppers soon after the provincial governments’ bans were announced.
“People are freaking out,” said Louise Waldman, a Winnipeg Jew who associates the particular taste of Manischewitz wine with a lifetime of Passover meals.
Manischewitz and Gallo did not respond to requests for comment.
During Passover, which begins on April 12, Jews gather for traditional meals, called seders, and eat specific foods including horseradish, parsley and eggs. Traditionally, each participant drinks four glasses of wine throughout the meal.
Aaron Bernstein of family-owned Bernstein’s Delicatessen, a Jewish food store and restaurant in Winnipeg in Western Canada, said he has had to tell patriotic Canadian shoppers that there are not domestically made versions of some kosher products.
“There’s no other product like Manischewitz wine,” he said.
Made kosher in Canada
Canadian Jews seeking kosher wine to fulfill the ceremonial obligation might still find some Israeli wine in some government-operated liquor stores. Manitoba Liquor Marts offer three kosher wines, such as both red and white from the Galil Mountain Winery, a spokesperson said.
But for some kosher foods producers in Canada, the upsurge in patriotic pride and the desire for “Made in Canada” goods is a chance to expand business.
Ritesh Patel, the director of operations for Elman’s Food Products, a Winnipeg kosher foods processor since 1938, hopes to capture more of the domestic kosher market.
The company is in talks with major national chains about carrying their pickled products like sauerkraut, eggs and horseradish, he said.
To replace some American products, Bernstein said his deli has been ordering more products from Israel, but imports take longer to arrive because of the extended supply chain.
For some Canadian Jews who keep kosher, the concern goes beyond missing holiday foods and extends to the risk of tariffs and higher prices on other staple products making groceries unaffordable.
“We’re very concerned in general. The price of food is astronomical and the price of kosher food is even more concerning,” said Richard Rabkin, the managing director of the Kashruth Council of Canada, the country’s largest kosher certification agency.
Ed White and Leah Douglas, Reuters
Nationwide protests against the Trump administration and adviser Elon Musk are planned for this Saturday, April 5 in all 50 states. The day of events, dubbed “Hands Off!,” will include protests in many red states including Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida, as well as major cities such as New York, L.A., and San Francisco. A flagship march is scheduled to take place on the grounds of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.
Here’s everything you need to know about the day of protests.
What is the Hands Off protest?
The aim of the protests is to voice opposition to various Trump administration policies and massive budget cuts and layoffs across federal agencies spearheaded by Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“This is a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history . . . They’re taking everything they can get their hands on,” Hands Off has posted on its website. “Our health care, our data, our jobs, our services . . . we’re taking to the streets nationwide to fight back with a clear message: Hands off!”
Who’s behind the protest?
The protests are organized by Indivisible, a grassroots movement aimed at rebuilding democracy and defeating Trump, which is partnering with a broad coalition of groups including: the Womens March, United Federation of Teachers, Public Citizen, Progressive Democrats of America, Common Cause, Human Rights Campaign, MoveOn, the League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood, as well as some unions including AFL-CIO, UAW, and SEIU.
Indivisibles co-executive director Ezra Levin told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that Hands Off is going through a wave moment, in which it’s seeing a larger number of people interested in volunteering, organizing, and participating.
How big is the Hands Off protest?
“We expect April 5th to be the largest single-day protest since Donald Trumps second inauguration,” a spokesperson for Hands Off told Fast Company. “Actions are scheduled in over 1000 cities nationwideand counting, with over 250,000 people expected to attend. Events [will] include marches, demonstrations and rallies.”
Many of the protests are scheduled to take place at state capitals, federal buildings, and congressional offices including at Social Securitys headquarters. There are also protests planned for the Daley Center in Chicago, city halls in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and Bryant Park in Manhattan, as well as multiple cities outside the U.S., including London, Madrid, and Zurich.
Top minds at the world’s largest atom smasher have released a blueprint for a much bigger successor that could vastly improve research into the remaining enigmas of physics.
The plans for the Future Circular Collidera nearly 91-kilometer (56.5-mile) loop along the French-Swiss border and below Lake Genevapublished late Monday put the finishing details on a project roughly a decade in the making at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
The FCC would carry out high-precision experiments in the mid-2040s to study known physics in greater detail, then enter a second phaseplanned for 2070that would conduct high-energy collisions of protons and heavy ions that would open the door to the unknown, said Giorgio Chiarelli, a research director at Italys National Institute of Nuclear Physics.
History of physics tells that when there is more data, the human ingenuity is able to extract more information than originally expected, Chiarelli, who was not involved in the plans, said in an e-mail.
For roughly a decade, top minds at CERN have been making plans for a successor to the Large Hadron Collider, a network of magnets that accelerate particles through a 27-kilometer (17-mile) underground tunnel and slam them together at velocities approaching the speed of light.
The blueprint lays out the proposed path, environmental impact, scientific ambitions and project cost. Independent experts will take a look before CERN’s two dozen member countriesall European except for Israeldecide in 2028 whether to go forward, starting in the mid-2040s at a cost of some 14 billion Swiss francs (about $16 billion).
CERN officials tout the promise of scientific discoveries that could drive innovation in fields like cryogenics, superconducting magnets and vacuum technologies that could benefit humankind.
Outside experts point to the promise of learning more about the Higgs boson, the elusive particle that has been controversially dubbed the God particle, which helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang.
Work at the Large Hadron Collider confirmed in 2013 the existence of the Higgs boson, the central piece in a puzzle known as the standard model that helps explains some fundamental forces in the universe.
CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti said the future collider “could become the most extraordinary instrument ever built by humanity to study the constituents and the laws of nature at the most fundamental levels in two ways, by improving study of the Higgs boson and paving the way to explore the energy frontier, and by looking for new physics that explain the structure and evolution of the universe.
One unknown is whether the Trump administration, which has been cutting foreign aid and spending in academia and research, will continue to support CERN a year after the Biden administration pledged U.S. support for the study and collaboration on the FCC’s construction and physics exploitation if it’s approved.
The United States is home to 2,000 users of CERN, making them the single largest national contingent among the 17,000 people working there, including outside experts abroad and staff on site, Gianotti said.
While an observer state and not a member, the U.S. doesn’t pay into the CERN regular budget but has contributed to specific projects. Most of the CERN regular budget comes from Europe.
Costas Fountas, the CERN Council president, said he had spoken with some U.S. National Science Foundation and Department of Energy staff who relayed the message that so far they’re ‘under the radar of the cuts of the Trump administration’. Thats their words.
CERN scientists, engineers and partners behind the plans considered at least 100 scenarios for the new collider before coming up with the proposed 91-kilometer circumference at an average depth of 200 meters (656 feet). The tunnel would be about 5 meters (16 feet) in diameter, CERN said.
Jamey Keaten, Associated Press
When the Biden administration set new auto emissions standards, it was a landmark climate move; passenger vehicles currently account for more than a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. But the new standards also included fuel efficiency elements that would save drivers money.
President Trump has said he wants to roll back both emissions and fuel economy standards, calling the regulations an EV mandate. If he does roll those back, drivers of new models may end up spending thousands more just to fill their gas tanks.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office this week, Trump reiterated his plan to roll back the regulations, saying Were going to go back, probably, to a 2020 standard.
Doing so could result in consumers paying at least $8,000 more to fuel a vehicle in 2029, than they would have if the standards stayed in place, says Chris Harto, a senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports who focuses on energy efficiency.
Under Biden, the EPA enacted the emissions standards and and the Department of Transportation enacted the fuel economy standards. Both help clean up combustion vehiclesand both are in Trump’s crosshairs, as the standards were created in coordination with each other. Making vehicles more efficient, Harto explains, comes with the “very fortunate side benefit of making the vehicle cheaper to fuel.”
Biden announced the newest standards in 2024; they phase in over model years 2027 to 2032. They built on standards the EPA put in place in 2021 that cover model years 2023 to 2026. The standards established a 50.4 miles per gallon average for light-duty vehicles by model year 2031.
Those combined rules, a Consumer Reports analysis found, would deliver more than $2 trillion in consumer fuel savings by 2050. Thats a massive amount of money thats at stake, Harto says.
In the past three years, the new standards have already delivered $2,200 in fuel savings for new vehicles (and over the next five years, they’re on track to deliver another $6,000 in savings). That’s a stark difference from the four years prior, 2018 to 2021, when standards were being rolled back during Trump’s first term. Over those four years, consumers saw less than $500 in savings delivered per vehicle.
Though Trump says the standards promote EVs, Harto says they help drive all sorts of efficiency technology, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids, that can save consumers a lot of money without having to change the way they drive their vehicle. If those standards get frozen in the past, he adds theres a strong chance well see a pull back [from automakers] in some of those newer technologies across the board.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said that the new auto emissions standards dont mean a damn bit of difference for the environment but make it impossible for people to build cars. Harto contests both those claims. The Consumer Reports analysis also found that by 2050, the auto emissions standards would reduce pollution by 12 billion tons. Its the single most impactful piece of climate regulation that the U.S. has ever put in place, he says.
As for how difficult it is for automakers to comply, Harto says research shows that over the past two decades, automakers have been able to deliver $9,000 in consumer fuel savings for the average new vehicle, without an increase to that vehicle price, once adjusted for inflation. Every time regulation is on the table, the industry screams that its going to drive up costs for consumers, he says. In the end, they deliver significant savings to consumers with very little or no detectable cost. . . . It really is a win-win in terms of consumer and climate benefits. Though Harto said he couldnt speak for automakers about the future of these rules, he said most industries tend to like fewer regulations.”
Consumers broadly don’t support a roll back in emissions standards. In a January 2025 Consumer Reports survey, 96% of American drivers said fuel economy is at least somewhat important to them when considering a new vehicle, and nearly two-thirds agree that the government should continue to increase fuel-economy standards.
The Big Three U.S. automakers didn’t respond to requests for comment about whether they support the rolling back of standards. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation said in a statement that the current emissions rules are “extremely challenging to achieve” and that “a balanced approach to emission in the U.S. is key to preserving vehicle choice.” Since not all model years that the standards cover are in full production yet, carmakers could also adapt to regulatory changes by canceling upcoming vehicles or adjusting production volumes. Some U.S. automakers have already pulled back on EV plans, canceling some future models, and the U.S. significantly lags behind markets like China that have accelerated EV technologies.
Whether the standards are rolled back or not, Harto says Consumer Reports will continue to test vehicles for fuel economy and environmental impact and include those predominantly in their ratings. At a time when consumers pocketbooks are already stretched, basically locking in larger fuel bills for consumers for decades to come is a really bad idea, he adds.
If you’re in need of some good and satisfying news, Chipotle has got you covered. The beloved burrito brand is bringing back its free burrito promotion for April 3rd’s National Burrito Day.
According to the chain’s March 31 announcement, Chipotle Rewards members will once again be able to play the popular Burrito Vault game at UnlockBurritoDay.com.
The game, which involves customers trying to guess exact burrito order combinations, is easy to play but comes with delicious prizes. Players will get four attempts to win BOGO (buy-one-get-one) codes. Each hour, the first 2,500 members to choose burrito orders with the correct ingredients will win free food.
“Last year, our Burrito Vault drove unprecedented fan engagement that resulted in our highest digital transaction day of all time,” Chris Brandt, chief brand officer, said in the announcement. Now, we are giving them another chance to crack the code and score more free burritos.”
In addition to the BOGO deals, Chipotle is also giving Rewards Members $0 delivery fee offer for orders placed on National Burrito Day. Customers just have to use the code DELIVER on Chipotle’s app or website.
The reprised promotion comes shortly after rumors about Chipotle restaurants being shuttered have swirled online. Chipotle dispelled bankruptcy rumors in a statement to Good Morning America. The claim that Chipotle is closing restaurants is false, a spokesperson for Chipotle told the outlet. The false information stemmed from an inaccurate online article confusing Chipotle with a venture it tested in 2023. The story has since been corrected.
Despite rumors about the brand’s demise, it seems the reverse is actually true. In February, Fast Company reported that Chipotle was breaking records in terms of its growth. In 2024, the brand opened 304 new restaurantsthe most in a single year for the chain.
As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the social media app’s China-based parent company.
Speaking with reporters on Air Force One late Sunday, Trump said that theres tremendous interest in TikTok.” He added that he would like to see TikTok remain alive. The president’s comments came less than one week before an April deadline requiring ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the United States.
We have a lot of potential buyers, Trump said.
Trump also said that the administration is dealing with China who also want it because they may have something to do with it. Last week, Trump said he would consider a reduction in tariffs on China if that countrys government approves a sale of TikToks operations in the U.S.
Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring ByteDances divestment took effect on January 19. After taking office, Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.
During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok on national security grounds, which was halted by the courts before his administration negotiated a sale of the platform that eventually failed to materialize. He changed his position on the popular app during last years presidential election and has credited the platform with helping him win more young voters.
I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally don’t do very well with the young vote, he said Sunday. I think a lot of it could have been TikTok.
Trump has said that the deadline on a TikTok deal could be extended further if needed. He previously proposed terms in which the U.S. would have a 50% stake in a joint venture. The administration hasnt provided details on what that type of deal would entail.
TikTok and ByteDance have not publicly commented on the talks. Its also unclear if ByteDance has changed its position on selling TikTok, which it said early last year it does not plan to do.
What will happen on April 5?
If TikTok is not sold to an approved buyer by April 5, the original law that bans it nationwide would once again go into effect. However, the deadline for the executive order doesnt appear to be set in stone and the president has reiterated it could be extended further if needed.
Trumps order came a few days after the Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law that required ByteDance to divest or be banned in January. The day after the ruling, TikTok went dark for U.S. users and came back online after Trump vowed to stall the ban.
The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but it has not faced a legal challenge in court.
Who wants to buy TikTok?
Although its unclear if ByteDance plans to sell TikTok, several potential bidders have come forward in the past few months.
Aides for Vice President JD Vance, who was tapped to oversee a potential deal, have reached out to some parties, such as the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, to get additional details about their bids, according to a person familiar with the matter. In January, Perplexity AI presented ByteDance with a merger proposal that would combine Perplexitys business with TikToks U.S. operation.
Other potential bidders include a consortium organized by billionaire businessman Frank McCourt, which recently recruited Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian as a strategic adviser. Investors in the consortium say theyve offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash for TikToks U.S. platform. And if successful, they plan to redesign the popular app with blockchain technology they say will provide users with more control over their online data.
Jesse Tinsley, the founder of the payroll firm Employer.com, says he too has organized a consortium, which includes the CEO of the video game platform Roblox, and is offering ByteDance more than $30 billion for TikTok.
Trump said in January that Microsoft was also eyeing the popular app. Other interested parties include Trumps former Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and Rumble, the video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups. In a post on X last March, Rumble said it was ready to join a consortium of parties interested in purchasing TikTok and serving as a tech partner for the company.
Sarah Parvini, AP technology writer
