US President-elect Donald Trump is set to engage in a crucial meeting with TikTok’s CEO as the popular social media platform faces a looming ban in the United States. This meeting is scheduled to take place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Monday, according to sources closely following the situation.
Legislation enacted earlier this year mandates that TikTok must either be sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban by January 19. In response, TikTok has filed an urgent request with the US Supreme Court to postpone the enforcement of this ban.
The US government’s concerns center around alleged connections between ByteDance and the Chinese government—claims that both TikTok and ByteDance firmly deny. The recent bill was designed to safeguard US national security against potential risks posed by foreign-owned applications.
While Trump previously supported a ban on TikTok during his first presidential term, he has expressed opposition to the current measures, suggesting that the ban could inadvertently benefit competitors like Facebook. His second term will officially commence with his inauguration on January 20, one day after the stipulation for the ban is set to take effect.
In their Supreme Court filing, TikTok requested a “modest delay” in the ban’s enforcement, advocating for time to allow for a thorough review and for the incoming administration to assess the situation. The company emphasized its role as a vital platform for free speech in the US, warning that the ban could cause “immediate irreparable harm” to its operations and user community.
Earlier this month, a federal appeals court dismissed TikTok’s appeal to overturn the ban, asserting that the law reflected a significant bipartisan consensus among Congress and previous administrations.
During a recent press conference, Trump addressed TikTok’s role in youth engagement, stating, “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok, because I won youth by 34 points.” Despite the majority of young voters supporting his opponent in the last election, there has been a noteworthy shift in favor of Trump among younger demographics since 2020. Although Trump joined TikTok in June, he quickly amassed millions of followers during his campaign, highlighting the platform’s influence in contemporary political discourse.
