Trump calls for U.S. Supreme Court to halt enforcement of law that could force TikTok to either be sold or face ban
Date
12/29/2024 6:53:51 AM
(MENAFN) President-elect Donald trump has called for the U.S. Supreme Court to temporarily halt the enforcement of a law that could force the Chinese-owned TikTok app to either be sold to a U.S. company or face a ban. Trump argued that he needs time after taking office to handle the issue in a "political" manner. The law, passed by congress in April, mandates that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, sell the app by January 19, or it could be banned in the U.S. TikTok, which has over 170 million users in the United States, is actively fighting the law, but without a court ruling in its favor by January 19, it could face a ban on the eve of Trump’s inauguration.
Trump’s stance on TikTok marks a reversal from 2020, when he sought to ban the app due to its Chinese ownership and pushed for it to be sold to an American company. This shift reflects the company's extensive outreach to Trump and his team during the presidential campaign, contrasting with its previous approach in 2020. Trump's lawyer, D. John Sauer, who is set to become Attorney General, clarified that Trump is not taking a position on the core issue but is requesting the court to delay the deadline for the law so that he can pursue a political resolution once in office.
Earlier in December, Trump met with TikTok CEO Xu Ziqiu and expressed his support for the app, highlighting its role in driving billions of views during his election campaign. TikTok has denied any security threats, asserting that U.S. user data is stored on Oracle servers within the U.S. Free speech advocates argue that the law against TikTok mirrors the repressive tactics used by authoritarian regimes, while the U.S. Justice Department views China's control over TikTok as a national security threat, a stance backed by many lawmakers.
Meanwhile, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen led a coalition of 22 state attorneys general urging the Supreme Court to uphold the law requiring TikTok to either be banned or sold. This legal battle is expected to continue into 2025, as various parties debate the balance between national security and freedom of speech.
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