Donald Trump believes he can reach a “political solution” that could avoid TikTok being banned in the US.
Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to block a ban on TikTok in the US.
The President-elect wants to give the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform’s parent company ByteDance “the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case.”
As it stands, TikTok could be banned in the US from January 19 if it does not find a non-Chinese buyer, but has no plans to sell the company.
The Supreme Court will hear further arguments on January 10.
Ahead of the hearing on Friday (10.01.25), Trump’s attorney D. John Sauer said his client would like the proposed ban, which was signed off by President Joe Biden, to be paused so his administration can work something out with ByteDance.
Trump is due to be inaugurated on January 20, one day after the ban would come into place.
The former ‘Apprentice’ star’s opinion of TikTok has softened in recent times, having previously issued an executive order banning the platform in 2020 due to national security concerns, amid his first stint in office, however, this was resolved.
The US government is worried that the app could share data with the Chinese government that could sway public opinion and spy on the US.
TikTok has said a ban would violate the First Amendment and its users’ rights to free speech.
Donald Trump asks Supreme Court to pause TikTok ban
