President-elect Donald Trump has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to delay the potential ban of TikTok while he seeks a “political resolution” to the matter. In a legal brief filed on Friday, Trump’s lawyer emphasized that the incoming president opposes the TikTok ban and is hoping to resolve the issue through political means after taking office.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on January 10 regarding a law that mandates ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell the platform to an American firm or face a ban by January 19. This deadline falls just one day before Trump is set to assume office.
The controversy surrounding TikTok stems from allegations that ByteDance has links to the Chinese government, a claim the company has denied. These concerns led to the passing of a bill in April, signed into law by President Joe Biden, requiring ByteDance to divest its American operations or face a potential ban.
TikTok and ByteDance have filed several legal challenges against the law, arguing it threatens free speech protections in the U.S. However, these efforts have largely been unsuccessful. The final opportunity to block the ban now lies with the U.S. Supreme Court.
Although the Court previously declined to issue an emergency injunction against the law, it agreed to allow arguments from TikTok, ByteDance, and the U.S. government on January 10, just days before the proposed ban takes effect.
Trump recently met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, fueling speculation about a possible resolution. In his court filing, Trump described the case as presenting a “difficult tension” between free speech rights and national security concerns.
While Trump’s filing stated that he does not take a position on the specifics of the case, it requested that the Supreme Court delay the January 19 deadline to give him time to pursue a political solution.
The U.S. Justice Department has argued that TikTok’s alleged ties to China pose a national security threat, and numerous state attorneys general, led by Montana’s Austin Knudsen, have urged the Court to uphold the law requiring ByteDance to sell or face a ban.
