Former U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested he might allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States, at least temporarily. Speaking at an event hosted by Turning Point USA in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump acknowledged the popular video-sharing app’s impact during the presidential election.
“I think we’re going to have to start thinking because, you know, we did go on TikTok, and we had a great response with billions of views, billions and billions of views,” Trump told the crowd at AmericaFest, an annual gathering organized by the conservative group. “They brought me a chart, and it was a record, and it was so beautiful to see, and as I looked at it, I said, ‘Maybe we gotta keep this sucker around for a little while.'”
This comes amid ongoing legal battles concerning the app’s future in the U.S. On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review a request from TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, to block a law that would require the sale of the app by January 19 or face a ban on national security grounds.
The nation’s highest court is set to hear arguments on January 10 regarding whether the law unconstitutionally restricts freedom of speech, potentially violating the First Amendment. TikTok argues that banning the app would silence millions of Americans who use the platform to express themselves on politics, commerce, arts, and other public concerns.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden enacted legislation that gives ByteDance 270 days to sell TikTok, citing national security concerns. Failure to comply would require app store operators like Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their platforms. In response, TikTok filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, seeking to block the potential ban.
In early December, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., dismissed TikTok’s claim that the ban is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court’s upcoming decision could have significant implications for the app’s future and its millions of users in the United States.
As the legal proceedings continue, TikTok’s fate in the U.S. remains uncertain. However, Trump’s recent comments suggest a possible shift in perspective, leaving room for the app to remain available to American users, at least for now.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
