March 17, 2023 at the TikTok Inc. building in Culver City, California. Damian Dovarganes/AP Hide Caption
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Damien Dovarganes/AP
President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to suspend the TikTok ban until his administration can pursue a “political solution” to the issue.
The request comes as TikTok and the Biden administration filed a brief in opposition to the court, in which they requested that the court repeal a law that could ban the platform by January 19. While arguing that it should be done, the government emphasized that it is necessary for the law to be repealed. national security risk.
President Trump’s court brief states, “President Trump has not taken any position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, President Trump has asked the court on January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case. We respectfully request that you consider maintaining the sale deadline of 2020.” The document supports both parties in the case and was written by President Trump’s pick for attorney general, D. John Sauer.
The arguments filed with the court are the latest example of President Trump inserting himself into national affairs before taking office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiations with other countries over plans to impose tariffs, and earlier this month he intervened on federal funding plans, calling for them to reject bipartisan plans and bringing Republicans to the negotiating table. I returned it to . .
President Trump also reversed his stance on the popular app after trying to ban it during his first term, citing national security concerns. He joined the app during his 2024 presidential election campaign, and his team uses it to appeal to younger voters, especially men, by pushing content that is often macho and intended to go viral. were able to connect with voters.
He said earlier this year that he still believes TikTok poses a national security risk, but opposes banning it. President Trump also met with TikTok CEO Shou Chu at Florida’s Mar-a-Lago club earlier this month.
Friday’s filing questions whether the law, which would force TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The hearing was held ahead of oral arguments scheduled for January 10th. The bill was signed by President Joe Biden after passing Congress with broad bipartisan support in April. TikTok and ByteDance have since filed legal challenges.
Earlier this month, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, prompting TikTok to appeal to the Supreme Court.
President Trump’s brief stated that he opposes banning TikTok at this juncture, and that “after taking office, I will seek to resolve the issue at hand through political means.”
Lawyers for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance said in a brief to the Supreme Court on Friday that the federal appeals court found the ruling erroneous and based its decision on TikTok’s efforts to “incentivize China’s It argued that this was based on the “suspected risk” that there was a possibility of exercising control. Foreign-affiliated company.
The Biden administration argued in court that TikTok posed a national security risk because of its ties to China. Officials say Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over information about TikTok’s U.S. users or use the platform to spread or suppress information.
But TikTok’s legal filing said the government “acknowledges there is no evidence that China has ever attempted to do so,” adding that U.S. concerns are predicated on future risks. .
In a filing Friday, the Biden administration said TikTok’s corporate structure poses risks because it is “integrated with ByteDance and relies on a proprietary engine developed and maintained in China.” said.
