
US President-elect Donald Trump has called on the Supreme Court to delay the implementation of a contentious TikTok ban scheduled to take effect next month.
In a legal filing submitted Friday, Trump argued that a postponement would give his administration the opportunity to “pursue a negotiated resolution”, according to a CNN report.
The Biden administration, meanwhile, defended the ban in its own legal brief, citing “grave” national security risks posed by TikTok’s continued operation in the United States.
Earlier this month, the US Supreme Court decided to take up TikTok's appeal against the law that would compel its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the platform or face its shutdown in the United States.
Oral arguments are set for January 10, just nine days before the potential ban on TikTok goes into place.
The legislation, enacted by President Joe Biden in April, would prevent TikTok from being available in US app stores and on web hosting services if ByteDance fails to sell its stake by the deadline.
The Supreme Court received around two dozen legal briefs on Friday from various groups and officials, reflecting a wide array of opinions on the case, according to CNN. Although Trump is not directly involved in the litigation, he submitted a “friend-of-the-court” brief, joining other outside groups, lawmakers, and stakeholders offering their perspectives.
In his filing, Trump did not explicitly address the First Amendment issues at the heart of the case. However, he urged the court to delay the ban’s enforcement, emphasizing the importance of allowing his administration to explore alternatives to a total shutdown.
Trump suggested that delaying the ban would “allow his incoming administration to pursue a negotiated resolution that could prevent a nationwide shutdown of TikTok, thus preserving the First Amendment rights of tens of millions of Americans, while also addressing the government’s national security concerns.”
Trump previously supported a TikTok ban during his first term as President, but later pledged during his campaign to “save TikTok”.
Earlier this month, he met with TikTok CEO Shou Chew, according to a CNN report. Chew also spoke with Trump on Friday evening following the legal filing, sources familiar with the conversation told the network.
The legislation against TikTok was part of a series of moves in the US aimed at limiting the application. Last February, the White House gave government agencies 30 days to ensure they do not have TikTok on federal devices and systems.
In addition, several states and cities have restricted TikTok on government devices, including the state of Montana, which passed a bill banning the app across the state, and New York City, which banned TikTok on government-owned devices in August of 2023, citing security concerns.