Jesse Tinsley’s Employer.com, which recently rescued the accounting platform Bench, is now eyeing an even larger target—TikTok. In a bold move, the HR tech company has reportedly teamed up with YouTube sensation MrBeast to acquire the popular video-sharing platform, according to Bloomberg.
The acquisition attempt also brings in some notable political connections. Brad Bondi, whose sister Pam is Donald Trump’s attorney general nominee, is serving as legal counsel for the group bidding on TikTok. While the exact dollar amount of the all-cash offer is unknown, it signals serious intent from the coalition.
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TikTok faced a brief service interruption over the weekend, lasting less than 24 hours, and ended just before President Trump issued a 75-day reprieve through an executive order on Monday. The temporary shutdown occurred on Saturday night but was quickly resolved by the following day. The fate of TikTok’s ownership remains uncertain, with its Chinese parent company ByteDance showing little interest in considering purchase offers. While Bloomberg has reported interest from high-profile buyers like Elon Musk, Amazon, and Oracle, these discussions appear to be in the preliminary stages. A noteworthy bid has emerged from a group led by real estate mogul Frank McCourt, though it is unclear whether ByteDance is willing to negotiate.
The executive order, signed on Trump’s second full day in office, effectively halts any enforcement of the ban that led to TikTok’s brief suspension. This decision provides a temporary assurance to the platform’s 170 million American users, ensuring continued access while leaving the door open for potential ownership changes in the future.
