Donald Trump, once a fierce opponent of TikTok, has unexpectedly emerged as a potential ally as the platform faces a ban in the U.S. on January 19, 2025. Following President Biden’s law requiring ByteDance to relinquish the app, TikTok’s CEO sought Trump’s help. Now an enthusiastic user, Trump has filed a legal brief to the Supreme Court seeking to delay enforcement of the law, positioning himself as either the savior or the architect of TikTok’s downfall.
The Ironic Turn of Events for TikTok and Donald Trump
Isn’t it ironic that Donald Trump, once an outspoken critic of TikTok, might now be its potential savior? Back in 2020, during a tumultuous trade war with China, Trump pressured ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its U.S. operations to American tech giants like Microsoft or Oracle. Oracle was on track to acquire it until the presidential election shifted the political landscape, leaving TikTok unscathed.
Trump’s Unexpected Alliance with TikTok
Fast forward to January 19, 2025, a significant date when TikTok is set to be officially banned in the United States. This decision came after President Joe Biden signed a law on April 24, 2024, compelling ByteDance to surrender the app following extensive discussions in Congress. Surprisingly, Trump, who once sought to dismantle the app, has now developed a fondness for it.
In a remarkable twist, TikTok has turned to its former adversary for support. After exhausting various legal appeals, TikTok reached out to the U.S. Supreme Court on December 16, aiming to overturn Biden’s law. To gain favor, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, paid a visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate to seek his assistance. Just days later, Trump expressed his hope to maintain TikTok, stating at a rally that it should “stick around for a while.” He even noted that he had broken “all records” on the platform, thanks to viral videos of his signature dance moves.
Having joined TikTok in 2024 to bolster his campaign, Trump now claims to be an avid fan. The individual who once sought to eliminate the platform is now actively championing it, leading to a curious and unexpected alliance.
On December 27, 2024, Trump officially entered the legal fray by submitting a briefing to the Supreme Court, opposing U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in the TikTok case. Trump, having previously blocked Garland’s Supreme Court nomination, is now asking the Court to delay the law’s enforcement for several months, allowing him time to negotiate directly with TikTok. The impending deadline of January 19, 2025, just a day before his expected inauguration, complicates matters for him.
In essence, Trump seems poised to play a dual role: either as the hero who rescues TikTok or as the one who finalizes its demise. Yet, he is determined not to remain a passive observer in this unfolding drama.
Will his request hold any weight? Given that Trump has appointed a significant number of Supreme Court justices, many of whom lean conservative, it is plausible that the Court might grant his request. This could allow Trump to postpone TikTok’s ban by up to 90 days, providing him the opportunity to renegotiate terms concerning the app’s data privacy.