US President-elect Donald Trump applied to the US Supreme Court to postpone the law banning TikTok in the country. In the petition submitted to the court, Trump stated that he was ready to negotiate a solution that would not require a ban after taking office. TikTok has been at the center of national security discussions for a long time because it belongs to the China-based ByteDance company. However, Trump argues that this problem can be solved by political means.
The TikTok ban was brought to the agenda within the scope of a law passed by Congress on national security grounds. The law requires the platform’s parent company to transfer some of its shares to American companies in order to maintain its operations in the United States. Despite this, TikTok and ByteDance officials have not taken any steps to fulfill this request so far. Currently, the ban’s entry into force is set for January 19, 2025. However, this date will occur just one day before Trump takes over the presidency.
Trump demanded that TikTok ban be blocked in the USA
In his petition to the court, Trump requested the postponement of the implementation of the ban. In his petition, he states, “When I take office, I have the ability to negotiate this issue in a way that also addresses national security concerns.” Trump also emphasizes that the platform offers a unique space for freedom of expression and political debate, and that this situation should be taken into consideration. In addition, he cites the temporary ban of the X platform owned by Elon Musk in Brazil as an example of governments’ oppressive stance on social media.
Objections to the TikTok ban also bring about discussions on freedom of expression. The Supreme Court accepted TikTok’s application against this law and put the issue on its agenda. The court is preparing to hear the oral defenses of the parties on January 10, 2025. On the other hand, Trump reiterates his request to postpone the law, stating that a solution he will negotiate would make it unnecessary for the court to make this decision.
Despite all this, some politicians and institutions argue that the TikTok ban should be implemented as soon as possible. Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, 22 US states and several senators are pressuring the Supreme Court to get behind the ban. On the other hand, ByteDance’s refusal to cede control over its US operations further complicates the discussions. This situation largely depends on the fate of the platform on the decisions taken by the Trump administration.
Considering TikTok’s user base in the US, the effects of this ban will be quite broad. The platform is used as an important communication tool not only among young people but also in political and commercial fields. Therefore, finding a solution as expressed by Trump is of critical importance not only for TikTok but also for its users.
All these developments point to broader discussions about the future of social media platforms. With Trump taking office as president, it will become clear over time what the outcome of these moves against TikTok will be.