President-elect Donald Trump is seeking Supreme Court approval to negotiate a deal to prevent an imminent US ban on TikTok.
In an amicus brief submitted to the court, Trump emphasizes his intention to address the issues through political channels once he assumes office, pointing to his dealmaking skills, electoral mandate, and determination to salvage the platform.
The Supreme Court recently agreed to review arguments challenging a congressional bill that aims to ban TikTok on national security grounds, alleging a violation of the First Amendment. Trump is granted authority by the bill to postpone its enforcement if progress is made towards ensuring TikTok’s independence from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
The deadline set for this assessment is January 19th, one day before Trump’s inauguration.
In his Supreme Court filing, Trump requests an extension of the January 19th deadline, asserting that his negotiation capabilities could eliminate the need for the Court to urgently address the First Amendment concerns arising from the case.
Without specifying the specifics of the deal, Trump hints at the potential involvement of ByteDance divesting a substantial share of TikTok to an American entity.
Trump highlights his significant TikTok following and ownership of Truth Social as factors giving him a distinctive perspective on the platform’s value in facilitating free expression, including political discourse. He also references Brazil’s temporary ban on Elon Musk’s X to illustrate the potential repercussions of a government banning a social media platform.
Despite Trump’s efforts, there remains considerable political pressure to implement a TikTok ban, with several senators, congressmen, and states urging the Supreme Court to reject TikTok’s appeal.
