Donald Trump has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to suspend the enforcement of a law mandating the forced sale or ban of TikTok in the United States. According to TechCrunch, Trump's lawyers argue that the chosen enforcement date — January 19, 2025 — is ill-timed, as it "impedes his ability to manage U.S. foreign policy." ByteDance is also challenging the constitutionality of the law. The Supreme Court is set to review the arguments on January 10, 2025.
The filing does not specify the exact decision Trump plans to make, but it asserts that he "has unparalleled experience in deal-making, an electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate to save the platform and resolve national security concerns."
The statement further notes that Trump currently has 14.7 million followers on TikTok, allowing him to assess the platform’s unique environment for freedom of expression, including key political discourse.
In addition to the former president, several civil rights organizations have joined the defense of the Chinese social media platform. The American Civil Liberties Union and Electronic Frontier Foundation filed a statement supporting TikTok's appeal, arguing that "the government has not provided compelling evidence of any current or potential harm from TikTok."