United States President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to determine the future of TikTok in the U.S. once he resumes office.
Trump disclosed this in an amicus brief filed on Friday, addressing the platform’s national security concerns and its implications for First Amendment rights. The filing comes ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing set for January 10, 2025.
The Legal Dispute
The hearing pertains to a new law mandating the divestment of TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, to prevent foreign adversary control. The deadline for compliance is January 19, just one day before Trump officially assumes office.
“Today, President Donald J. Trump has filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court asking the Court to extend the deadline that would cause TikTok’s imminent shutdown,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s spokesman and incoming White House Communications Director.
The brief argues for an extension, stating that it would allow Trump to address the matter while safeguarding both American national security and TikTok’s platform, which serves 170 million U.S. users.
Trump’s Position
Trump’s filing highlights the unique conflicts between free speech and national security posed by TikTok. It also underscores his “powerful electoral mandate” and qualifications to handle the issue.
“President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government,” the brief reads.
Trump contends that the current deadline hampers his ability to oversee a resolution that protects user rights while addressing security threats.
TikTok’s Response
TikTok has filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court to temporarily block the law, arguing that it infringes on First Amendment rights. The company has also emphasized its “Project Texas” initiative, which isolates U.S. user data on American servers to mitigate security risks.
With the Supreme Court hearing looming, Trump’s brief calls for a balanced resolution that preserves TikTok’s operations while ensuring national security. The decision is set to be a key issue during his return to the White House.