Apple denies reports of acquiring TikTok, says it has no interest

(Reuters) – Apple Inc has no interest in acquiring TikTok, the company said on Tuesday, denying a report by news website Axios from earlier in the day.

Axios, citing sources outside Apple, earlier reported the iPhone maker has expressed interest in buying the ByteDance-owned firm.

Microsoft Corp is currently negotiating a deal to acquire the popular short-video app, with a 45-day deadline imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Last week, Trump said he was planning to ban TikTok amid concerns its Chinese ownership represents a national security risk because of the personal data it handles.