U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump has filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, advocating for a delay in the potential ban of TikTok in the United States. The filing, submitted on Friday, calls for additional time to pursue a negotiated resolution to the ongoing legal and political controversy surrounding the app.
The brief was filed by John Sauer, a nominee by Trump for the role of Solicitor General, who represents the U.S. government in appellate courts, including the Supreme Court. In the document, Trump expresses his opposition to an immediate ban, highlighting his intention to address the issue through political channels upon assuming office.
A seasoned negotiator, Trump is confident in his ability to broker a solution that addresses national security concerns while allowing the continued operation of the popular social media platform in the U.S.
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During a recent event with Turning Point USA in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump suggested he might allow TikTok to remain active for a while longer, acknowledging its significant influence in engaging key voter demographics. He hinted at the possibility of permitting the app to operate “for a little while” during the election period.
The TikTok controversy stems from a law signed by President Joe Biden in April, which mandates that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, sell the app within 270 days due to national security concerns. Failure to comply would require app store operators like Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their platforms.
In response, TikTok filed a lawsuit in May to prevent the ban, which has garnered significant backlash. In early December, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. dismissed TikTok’s constitutional challenge.
On December 16, TikTok and ByteDance appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking a temporary block of the law. The companies argue that banning TikTok would shut down one of the U.S.’s most widely used platforms for public discourse, silencing political, commercial, and cultural communication just ahead of the presidential inauguration.
On December 18, the Supreme Court agreed to review TikTok’s request for a temporary halt to the law, setting the stage for further legal proceedings.
