Trump to Decide TikTok’s Fate Upon Returning to White House
United States President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he will determine the future of TikTok in the U.S. once he resumes office. In an amicus brief filed on Friday, Trump addressed the national security and First Amendment issues surrounding the social media platform.
The brief, filed ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing scheduled for January 10, 2025, supports neither party in the ongoing legal battle. It concerns a new law that mandates TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, be divested from foreign adversary control. The law sets a January 19 deadline, just one day before Trump’s official return to office.
Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, stated that the former president has requested an extension of the deadline to avoid TikTok’s imminent shutdown, allowing him time to resolve the issue while protecting U.S. national security and preserving the platform.
The brief argues that the case involves an unprecedented conflict between free speech and national security. Trump asserts that he is uniquely qualified to address these challenges due to his electoral mandate and dealmaking expertise.
Trump’s legal filing emphasizes the importance of balancing national security concerns with the free speech rights of the 170 million American TikTok users. He also advocates for a resolution that avoids an outright ban on the platform.
In response, TikTok has filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court to temporarily block the law, arguing it violates First Amendment rights. The platform has also highlighted its “Project Texas” initiative, which isolates U.S. user data on American servers to address national security concerns.
