Mathias Dopfner, CEO of Axel Springer, recently pitched a concept for a European division of TikTok during a meeting with Charles Kushner, the U.S. Ambassador to France. This discussion, which took place in January at the Axel Springer headquarters in Berlin, initially centered around antisemitism in social media but shifted focus to the future of TikTok, currently owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.
Dopfner’s proposal aimed to establish a European entity for TikTok, similar to a previous arrangement made for the American operations of the platform. In the U.S., concerns about national security led to a restructuring that involved several investors, including Oracle’s Larry Ellison, with TikTok’s American side valued at $14 billion. This new company gained enhanced control over the platform’s algorithms and user data in the United States.
Dopfner has publicly argued that TikTok should either be sold to investors from democratic nations or banned outright, criticizing the European Union for its lack of decisive action and pointing to the U.S. example as a model. He has also expressed concerns about TikTok’s role in spreading extremist content.
Despite the discussions involving European Commission technology representatives, the proposal did not gain traction in Brussels and was ultimately abandoned. ByteDance also showed no interest in the transaction, dismissing the reports as entirely fabricated.
The conversation with Kushner also highlights Axel Springer’s efforts to strengthen ties with the Trump administration. Dopfner has previously met with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and awarded billionaire Peter Thiel, a Republican supporter, with an Axel Springer prize, maintaining these connections despite tensions between the administration and Politico, which faced restricted access in reaction to its reporting.
