President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to postpone the potential TikTok ban until after he takes office so that his administration can address the matter politically.
The big picture: The request from Trump came as TikTok and the Biden administration presented opposing briefs to the court. TikTok argued for striking down a law that could ban the platform by January 19, while the government emphasized the law’s importance in eliminating a national security risk.
- Trump, through an amicus brief, did not take a stance on the issue but requested the Court to delay the deadline for divestment until the case’s merits are considered.
- The filings precede oral arguments scheduled for January 10, regarding the law requiring TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, which TikTok and ByteDance have challenged in court.
Driving the news: Trump, reversing his previous stance of seeking to ban TikTok over national security concerns during his first term, now aims to address the issue through political means after taking office.
- The Biden administration has argued that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its Chinese connections.
- TikTok and ByteDance dispute the federal appeals court’s ruling, claiming China’s potential influence over TikTok’s U.S. platform through its foreign affiliates was inaccurately considered.