US President-elect Donald Trump has requested the Supreme Court to postpone an impending TikTok ban, intending to seek a “political resolution” once he assumes office. His legal team submitted a brief to the court, stating that Trump “opposes banning TikTok” and aims to address the challenges through political channels.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on January 10 regarding a US law mandating TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform to an American firm or face a ban by January 19, the day before Trump’s inauguration. This law follows accusations from US officials linking ByteDance to the Chinese government, which the company has denied.
In April, Congress passed the bill, later signed into law by President Joe Biden, compelling the divestment or ban of TikTok. Despite multiple legal challenges from TikTok and ByteDance—arguing that the law infringes on American free speech—they have seen limited success. With no buyers emerging, the Supreme Court represents their last chance to challenge the ban effectively.
While the court has previously declined emergency injunctions against the law, it has allowed the parties to present their cases on January 10, just before the ban takes effect. Trump recently met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago estate, further indicating his interest in resolving the situation.
In his filing, Trump characterized the case as an “unprecedented, novel, and difficult tension” between free speech and national security concerns. He emphasized that delaying the January 19 deadline would provide him the opportunity to pursue a political solution.
The US Justice Department has expressed that TikTok’s alleged links to China pose a national security risk, prompting nearly two dozen state attorneys general to support the law requiring ByteDance to divest or face a ban. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court upheld the legislation, citing extensive bipartisan action by Congress and previous administrations.
Despite supporting a TikTok ban during his presidency, Trump has recently claimed to have a “warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” citing its popularity among youth voters, although many young voters favored his opponent, Kamala Harris.
