President-elect Donald Trump has filed to oppose the upcoming U.S. ban of TikTok, asking the Supreme Court for time to resolve the legal issue when he takes office next year.
In a Friday filing, lawyers for Trump asked the Supreme Court to delay its Jan. 10 hearing on the ban so his administration could "pursue a negotiated resolution" to the question of TikTok's legality in the U.S., "thus preserving the First Amendment rights of tens of millions of Americans, while also addressing the government’s national security concerns."
The brief argues that Trump is "one of the most powerful, prolific, and influential users of social media in history," which gives him the insight to "evaluate TikTok’s importance as a unique medium for freedom of expression, including core political speech."
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The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act was passed with bipartisan support in February of 2024. Lawmakers expressed concern that the Chinese government could force Bytedance, a Chinese company, to share user data and manipulate algorithms to influence U.S. public opinion.
The law is set to effectively ban TikTok in the U.S. on Jan. 19, pending any Supreme Court decision on the case. President-elect Trump will be inaugurated Jan. 20.
TikTok and Bytedance appealed for an emergency injunction from the Supreme Court, arguing that the law requiring the company’s sale violates the First Amendment.
The law would allow TikTok to continue U.S. operations if divested from Bytedance's Chinese ownership.
