‘His mouth bigger than his wallet’: Kevin O’Leary ridiculed as he eyes buying TikTok amid potential ban

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: 'Shark Tank' investor Kevin O'Leary's audacious claim that he would buy the wildly popular video-sharing platform TikTok if a proposed ban on the app advances, has ignited a firestorm of criticism and mockery across social media.

O'Leary's bold assertion, made during an appearance on Fox News' 'The Story,' was met with widespread skepticism from social media users who questioned the businessman's financial prowess and motives, casting doubt on his ability to acquire the multi-billion-dollar social media juggernaut, as per The Hill.

Kevin O'Leary's bold claim comes amid growing concerns over TikTok's ties to ByteDance

"Not going to get banned, 'cause I'm gonna buy it," O'Leary confidently stated, dismissing concerns over the potential ban.

"Somebody's going to buy it, it won't be Meta and it won't be Google, 'cause…regulator [will] stop that."

O'Leary's bold claim comes amid growing bipartisan concerns over TikTok's ties to its China-based parent company, ByteDance.

On Tuesday, March 5, Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) unveiled a House bill that would ban the app unless ByteDance divests from it, citing national security risks. President Biden has signaled his willingness to sign the bill if it passes Congress.

"This is worth billions, it's one of the most successful advertising platforms in social media today," O'Leary stated, defending his interest in acquiring TikTok. "All my companies use it, I'll buy it."

TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek expressed strong opposition to the proposed legislation, stating, "This bill is an outright ban of TikTok, no matter how much the authors try to disguise it."

"This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs."

Internet slams Kevin O'Leary's intention to buy TikTok

Following O'Leary's bold proclamation of intending to buy TikTok amid a potential ban, the Internet swiftly responded with a wave of skepticism and criticism.

One X user quipped, "With what? His Sam Bankman Fried money?"

Meanwhile, another user bluntly stated, "I really don’t think Kevin himself has the money."

A third user took a more metaphorical approach remarking, "He's a big bag of wind trying to be relevant."

Adding to the disapproval, a critic remarked, "Anyone who calls themselves 'Mr. Wonderful' should not be trusted with wealth and power."

The critique extended to the political realm, with a user cautioning against potential bias, "We have enough Trump propaganda media owners. We don’t need more."

A sixth user concluded, "His mouth is bigger than his wallet."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.