Donald Trump, the US President-elect, has petitioned the Supreme Court to delay a TikTok ban while pursuing a "political resolution."
On Friday, his lawyer filed a legal brief stating Trump opposes banning TikTok and seeks a chance to address the issue politically once he assumes office.
The court is scheduled to hear arguments on 10 January regarding a law requiring ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese owner, to sell the app to a US company or face a ban effective 19 January, a day before Trump's inauguration.
US lawmakers and officials have accused ByteDance of links to the Chinese government, a claim the company denies. These concerns led Congress to pass legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden in April, mandating TikTok’s divestiture or ban.
TikTok and ByteDance have mounted several legal challenges, citing threats to free speech, but with limited success. With no buyer emerging, their final recourse lies with the Supreme Court, which will hear the case just days before the ban is set to take effect.
In a recent court filing, Trump described the situation as an unprecedented clash between free speech rights and national security concerns. While not taking a stance on the case's merits, he argued that extending the deadline would allow him to resolve the matter politically.
The Justice Department maintains that TikTok’s alleged ties to China pose a security threat, a concern echoed by multiple state governments. Nearly two dozen state attorneys general, led by Montana’s Austin Knudsen, have urged the court to enforce the divestiture or ban.
Earlier this month, a federal appeals court upheld the legislation, calling it a result of bipartisan efforts by Congress and successive administrations.
Despite previously supporting a TikTok ban, Trump now opposes it, citing the platform’s role in engaging younger voters. "I have a warm spot for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points," he claimed, though a majority of young voters supported his opponent, Kamala Harris.
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