President-elect Donald Trump reached out to the Supreme Court, asking them to push back the deadline for a possible TikTok ban, which is set for the day right before he takes office.
The court’s on board to fast-track TikTok’s appeal against the ban, but Trump is telling the justices that if they hold off on the law until he’s back in the White House, they might not even need to weigh in on it at all. John Sauer, one of Trump’s personal appellate attorneys wrote “President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns.”
RELATED: US Lawmakers Tell Apple And Google To Be Prepared To Remove TikTok From App Stores Jan. 19
“In light of these interests—including, most importantly, his overarching responsibility for the United States’ national security and foreign policy—President Trump opposes banning TikTok in the United States at this juncture, and seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office,” Sauer continued.
During the campaign, Trump made it clear he was against the law that forces TikTok’s parent company in China to sell off the app or get banned by January 19. He even promised to “save TikTok.” But since snagging the election, he hasn’t really laid out any solid plans to keep the app safe.
TikTok has picked up on the president-elect’s support in its legal moves, hinting that things might shift once he officially steps into office.
The latest brief highlights Trump’s special interest, calling him “one of the most powerful, prolific, and influential social media users ever” and giving a nod to his own platform, Truth Social.
RELATED: Donald Trump Addresses Possible Tiktok Ban
“Indeed, President Trump’s first Term was highlighted by a series of policy triumphs achieved through historic deals, and he has a great prospect of success in this latest national security and foreign policy endeavor,” Sauer wrote.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on January 10 regarding TikTok’s First Amendment challenge to the new law, giving the justices a chance to weigh in before the potential ban kicks in.
Trump mentioned that he isn’t taking a stance on the actual First Amendment issue but described it as a “historically challenging” question.