Extortion As National Policy? President Trump Demands ‘Key Money’ From A TikTok Sale To Microsoft Or He’ll Ban TikTok In The U.S.

by

On Monday President Trump unabashedly told reporters that a “very substantial portion” of a sale price of TikTok to Microsoft MSFT +1.6% would go the Treasury. He called it “key money.” The alternative? Mr. Trump will shut down TikTok in the U.S. on September 15th.

Key money is a dated term used in real estate transactions. It’s money a prospective tenant would pay under the table to a landlord, building manager or even another tenant to secure a lease. Think of a middle school bully demanding another student’s lunch money in exchange for safe passage.

via Extortion As National Policy? President Trump Demands ‘Key Money’ From A TikTok Sale To Microsoft Or He’ll Ban TikTok In The U.S.

Advertisement