President-elect Donald Trump has requested that the U.S. Supreme Court delay the enforcement of a law that would either prohibit the widely used social media application TikTok or compel its sale. He contends that he should be afforded time after assuming office to seek a “political resolution” regarding the matter.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case on January 10.
The legislation mandates that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, divest the platform to an American entity or face a ban. In April, the U.S. Congress voted to impose a ban unless ByteDance sells the app by January 19.
With over 170 million users in the United States, TikTok and its parent company have sought to have the law invalidated. However, if the court does not rule in their favor and no divestment occurs, the app could face an effective ban in the United States on January 19, just one day prior to Trump’s inauguration.
Trump’s current support for TikTok marks a significant shift from his actions in 2020, when he attempted to block the app in the U.S. and mandated its sale to American firms due to concerns over its Chinese ownership.
This change also reflects TikTok’s considerable efforts to establish a rapport with Trump and his team during the presidential campaign.
“President Trump does not take a position on the fundamental merits of this dispute,” stated D. John Sauer, Trump’s attorney and his nominee for U.S. solicitor general.
“Rather, he respectfully requests that the Court consider postponing the Act’s divestment deadline of January 19, 2025, while it deliberates on the merits of this case, thereby allowing President Trump’s incoming administration the chance to pursue a political resolution to the issues at hand,” he further explained.
Previously, Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in December, shortly after indicating that he had a “warm spot” for the app and expressed a preference for allowing TikTok to continue its operations in the United States for a limited period.
The president-elect also noted that he garnered billions of views on the platform during his presidential campaign. TikTok has not provided an immediate response.
