Politico and Telegraph owner pitched deal to buy European arm of TikTok

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 23, 2026

Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner explored acquiring a stake in TikTok’s European operations during a January meeting with US ambassador Charles Kushner, proposing a deal similar to the US arrangement under the Trump administration. This move signals Axel Springer’s intent to expand its media influence amid regulatory shifts around TikTok ownership in Europe, although ByteDance has denied the proposal’s existence.

Mathias Döpfner, chief executive and co-owner of Germany’s Axel Springer, approached the idea of acquiring a stake in TikTok’s European operations, proposing the notion during a meeting with Charles Kushner, the US ambassador to France and father of Jared Kushner. The discussion took place in January at Axel Springer’s Berlin headquarters, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Döpfner, whose company owns prominent media outlets including Politico and the UK’s Daily Telegraph, referenced a model akin to the arrangement established under the Trump administration for TikTok’s United States business. That prior deal, which valued TikTok’s US arm at $14 billion, involved a consortium of investors including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and resulted in the creation of a jointly controlled California-based entity. ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, retained ownership while relinquishing some control over algorithms and user data tied to the US market amid national security concerns.

The proposed acquisition reflects Döpfner’s strategic ambitions in the media and tech sectors. His track record includes attempting to purchase the Financial Times in 2015, acquiring Business Insider shortly afterward, and completing the high-profile £575 million purchase of the Telegraph in 2023. Additionally, in a private message exchange, he had earlier suggested Elon Musk consider buying Twitter with plans to manage it directly. Döpfner advanced from editor-in-chief at Die Welt to the helm of Axel Springer, assuming co-ownership along the way.

The meeting also sheds light on Axel Springer’s engagement with figures linked to the Trump administration amid tense interactions with the White House. Politico journalists were recently denied access to the White House, yet Döpfner maintained connections by meeting the US president’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, in February. These interactions indicate the company’s intent to foster closer ties despite political frictions.

Axel Springer stated it would have welcomed the prospect of participating in such a deal as a significant European media player, reflecting the company’s interest in the evolving regulatory and ownership landscape of TikTok in Europe. ByteDance, however, dismissed the reports of the proposal as "a total fabrication" and declined to offer further comment.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.