WashingtonIn order to give himself more time after entering office to seek a political solution to the issue, President-elect Donald Trump has petitioned the US Supreme Court to halt the enforcement of a legislation that would forbid or require the sale of the well-known social media app TikTok.
The court will hear arguments in the matter on January 10.
According to the law, ByteDance, the Chinese corporation that owns TikTok, would have to sell the platform to an American business or risk being banned. In April, the US Congress passed a resolution banning it unless ByteDance sold the software by January 19.
The main company of TikTok, which has more than 170 million subscribers in the US, has attempted to have the statute overturned. However, on January 19, one day before Trump takes office, the app might be essentially outlawed in the United States if the court does not decide in their favor and no divestiture takes place.
Trump’s backing of TikTok is a change from his 2020 attempt to outlaw the app in the US and force its sale to US businesses because it was owned by Chinese people.
Additionally, it shows how hard the business worked to gain favor with Trump and his crew during the campaign.
D. John Sauer, Trump’s attorney and the president-elect’s choice for the US solicitor general, said that President Trump does not have an opinion on the fundamental merits of this case.
In order to give President Trump’s incoming administration the chance to seek a political resolution of the case’s issues, the attorney respectfully asks the Court to consider delaying the Act’s divestment deadline of January 19, 2025, while it evaluates the case’s merits, the lawyer said.
Just hours after professing a fondness for the app and supporting TikTok’s continuing existence in the US for at least a brief period of time, Trump previously met with Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, in December.
The president-elect added that during his presidential campaign, he garnered billions of views on the social networking site.
A request for comment from TikTok was not immediately answered.
The company has previously claimed that the Justice Department misrepresented its connections to China, stating that the United States also makes content moderation decisions that impact US users and that Oracle Corp. stores its content recommendation engine and user data on cloud servers in the United States.
On Friday, proponents of free expression argued the Supreme Court that the US statute targeting TikTok is comparable to restriction policies put in place by the US’s authoritarian adversaries.
The US Justice Department’s claim that Chinese control of TikTok still poses a threat to national security is supported by the majority of US senators.
In an amicus brief submitted on Friday, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen led a group of 22 attorneys general in pleading with the Supreme Court to uphold the nationwide TikTok divest-or-ban law.
RESOURCE
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.