President-elect Donald Trump has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to delay the enforcement of a law that requires the sale or ban of TikTok, the widely used social media app. Trump has requested additional time to explore a political solution to the issue after assuming office.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the matter on January 10. The disputed law, enacted by Congress in April, mandates that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divest its ownership of the app by January 19 or face a nationwide ban. TikTok, which has over 170 million U.S. users, has challenged the law in court, aiming to overturn it. Without a favorable ruling or divestment, the app could be banned just one day before Trump’s inauguration.
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This represents a notable change in Trump’s position on TikTok. During his presidency in 2020, he sought to block the app and push for its sale to American companies, citing concerns about its Chinese ownership. However, his legal team is now advocating for a delay, emphasizing the importance of addressing the matter through political means.
D. John Sauer, Trump’s attorney and his pick for U.S. solicitor general, explained the request, stating: “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. He respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline… to allow his incoming administration the chance to pursue a political resolution.”
Reports suggest that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew met with Trump in December. During the meeting, Trump appeared to take a softer stance, acknowledging the app’s significant influence during his presidential campaign, where his content reportedly garnered billions of views on TikTok. Trump expressed a desire for the app to remain operational “for at least a little while.”
TikTok continues to defend itself against allegations of posing a national security threat, asserting that U.S. user data is stored on American-managed servers operated by Oracle and that all content moderation decisions for American users are made domestically.
Critics of the law, including free speech advocates, argue that it mirrors censorship practices employed by authoritarian governments. However, the U.S. Justice Department and several lawmakers remain firm in their position, arguing that TikTok’s ties to China present significant security concerns.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with 22 other attorneys general, has filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold the law, which they argue is essential for national security.
