President-elect Donald Trump has requested the U.S. Supreme Court to pause the implementation of a law requiring TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the platform or face a ban.
Trump argued that his incoming administration should have the opportunity to seek a “political resolution” to the matter. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the case on January 10, ahead of the January 19 deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok or see it banned.
TikTok, which has over 170 million U.S. users, has been fighting to overturn the law, citing concerns about its legality. However, if the Supreme Court does not side with TikTok and no sale occurs, the app could be effectively banned in the U.S. one day before Trump’s inauguration.
ByteDance has argued that its U.S. operations are independent, with user data stored on Oracle-operated servers and content moderation managed domestically.
Trump’s stance on TikTok represents a reversal from 2020, when he advocated banning the app due to its Chinese ownership. His legal team, led by D. John Sauer, who is also his nominee for U.S. solicitor general, stated that the president-elect takes no position on the merits of the law but seeks more time to address the issue diplomatically.
The request follows Trump’s December meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, during which he expressed a favorable view of the app, citing its role in garnering billions of views during his campaign. TikTok has yet to comment on the latest developments.
The Justice Department has maintained that TikTok’s Chinese ties pose a national security risk, a stance supported by many U.S. lawmakers. Meanwhile, free speech advocates have criticized the law as reminiscent of censorship practices used by authoritarian regimes.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with 22 other state attorneys general, filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold the legislation. The case highlights the ongoing debate over national security, free speech, and the regulation of global tech platforms.
