Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella admits the proposed deal to buy TikTok was "strange".
The tech giant was encouraged to buy TikTok by former US President Donald Trump amid the US' trade tensions with China - but Satya now admits that it was a bizarre scenario.
ByteDance - which owns the Chinese video app - approached Microsoft after Trump threatened to ban the platform in the US.
Speaking with tech journalist Kara Swisher at the Code Conference, Satya conceded that TikTok is "an interesting product" and one that was a good fit for Microsoft's business portfolio.
However, the proposed deal was never closed and President Joe Biden revoked the order to ban TikTok earlier this year.
Trump previously suggested that the app represented a threat to the US' national security.
The outspoken billionaire explained that the "spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People's Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States".
But TikTok hit back at the President's accusations.
A spokesperson said at the time: "We are committed to protecting our users' privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform."
