In a surprising twist, President-elect Donald Trump, who previously sought to ban TikTok, is now asking the Supreme Court to delay the January 19th ban to seek a political solution. Trump's request, delivered through an amicus brief by his solicitor general pick, D. John Sauer, emphasizes the need to balance national security concerns with the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans. This move comes as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs, and Massachusetts Representative Jake Auchincloss suggested Trump's change of heart might be influenced by his popularity on the app.
The TikTok saga has been a rollercoaster, with the US government pressuring ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban over alleged national security risks, which ByteDance denies. Despite multiple legal challenges and a heated debate over data privacy, TikTok continues to fight for its survival. Trump’s recent interactions with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and his focus on connecting with Gen-Z streamers during his campaign indicate a shift in his stance. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on January 10th, the fate of TikTok hangs in the balance, with both Trump and TikTok users eagerly awaiting the outcome.
The TikTok saga has been a rollercoaster, with the US government pressuring ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban over alleged national security risks, which ByteDance denies. Despite multiple legal challenges and a heated debate over data privacy, TikTok continues to fight for its survival. Trump’s recent interactions with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and his focus on connecting with Gen-Z streamers during his campaign indicate a shift in his stance. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on January 10th, the fate of TikTok hangs in the balance, with both Trump and TikTok users eagerly awaiting the outcome.
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00:00In a surprising twist, President-elect Donald Trump is now asking the Supreme Court to delay
00:04the January 19th TikTok ban, despite his previous efforts to ban the Chinese-owned app during
00:10his first presidential term.
00:12Yes, you heard that right.
00:13Trump, who will officially take office on January 20th, the same day as Martin Luther
00:18King Day, asks the Supreme Court to delay a potential TikTok ban until his administration
00:22can seek a political solution.
00:24This request comes as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs.
00:29Trump's amicus brief, written by his solicitor-general pick, D. John Sauer, stated,
00:33President Trump takes no position on the merits of the dispute.
00:36Instead, he urges the court to stay the statute's effective date to allow his incoming administration
00:41to pursue a negotiated resolution that could prevent a nationwide shutdown of TikTok, thus
00:46preserving the First Amendment rights of tens of millions of Americans while also addressing
00:50the government's national security concerns.
00:53Massachusetts Representative Jake Auchincloss suggested that Trump's opposition to a TikTok
00:57ban stems from his popularity on the app.
01:00During a December 27th appearance on CNN, Auchincloss stated,
01:04With Donald Trump, it's always some combination of two things.
01:07It's one, flattery and inflation of his ego.
01:10And then number two, it's the soft corruption and sycophancy of his inner circle.
01:15Those two threads can intertwine, and they can change American policy.
01:19The U.S. government has pressured TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to sell the app to
01:23an American company or face a ban, citing national security risks due to the alleged
01:28links with the Chinese government, claims ByteDance denies.
01:31Despite security concerns, the American Consumer Institute argues the TikTok ban is more fear
01:36than facts, citing a study that found TikTok collects only standard data and does not send
01:41sensitive personal information to external servers.
01:44In May, eight TikTok creators sued the U.S. government with a 33-page complaint, claiming
01:49a new law forcing a sale or ban of the app violates their First Amendment rights.
01:54Many wondered if TikTok's fate was sealed when Trump was re-elected.
01:57During his first term, he pushed for a ban over similar national security concerns.
02:02However, his stand seems to have shifted during his recent campaign against Vice President
02:06Kamala Harris, as he focused his social media efforts on connecting with popular Gen Z streamers.
02:12During an Aiden Ross interview, Trump told viewers he would keep TikTok going and smiled
02:17as he received a Rolex and a Tesla Cybertruck with a MAGA vinyl wrap from the controversial
02:22streamer.
02:23Last week, Trump met with TikTok CEO Zhou Zichu at Mar-a-Lago to discuss a plan to prevent
02:28the federal ban, according to a CNN source close to the meeting.
02:32Following the meeting, Trump filed a court brief emphasizing the need to balance free
02:36speech with national security concerns.
02:38Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department and nearly two dozen state attorney generals are
02:43urging the Supreme Court to uphold the ban, still citing significant national security
02:47threats.
02:48The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on January 10th, just days before the ban
02:52is due to take effect.
02:54While we wait for the official ruling, Trump is gearing up for his inauguration party while
02:59TikTok is set to present the Power 30 award, honoring the 30 most impactful influencers
03:04of the 2024 election, set to take place January 19th, the same day the ban is supposed to
03:09take effect.
03:10So what do you think?
03:11Will Trump's appeal lead to a resolution, or will the ban proceed as planned?
03:15Let us know in the comments and follow us everywhere at What's Trending.