President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to postpone an upcoming TikTok ban while seeking a political resolution. His legal team filed a brief stating that Trump opposes the ban and prefers to address concerns through negotiation after taking office.
The court will hear arguments on a law mandating ByteDance sell TikTok to an American company on January 10. One day before Trump’s inauguration, on January 19, a countrywide TikTok ban would begin for noncompliance. The bill alleges national security threats due to alleged ties between ByteDance and the Chinese government, which the firm disputes.
Despite bipartisan support for the legislation signed by President Biden in April, ByteDance and TikTok have argued it violates free speech. After having little success in the legal system, the businesses are now looking to the Supreme Court as their final resort. Days before the ban took effect, the court decided to hear the case even though it had previously denied petitions for an injunction.
Trump, who recently met TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at Mar-a-Lago, described the case as balancing free speech with national security. His filing emphasized that a delay would allow political discussions to resolve the dispute without requiring court action.
State officials, led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, have urged the court to uphold the divestment requirement. The Department of Justice argues TikTok’s ties to China pose a security threat, echoing bipartisan concerns.
Earlier this month, Trump claimed TikTok supported his success among young voters. However, data showed that most youths supported his opponent. He remains committed to resolving the matter politically rather than enforcing an outright ban.
