President-elect Trump is seeking to “save” the popular Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, according to its transition team — even if the Supreme Court wants to enforce a federal law that could essentially ban it in the U.S.
Asked Wednesday about a Washington Post report that claimed Trump might issue an executive order to prevent a ban on TikTok, Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., Trump’s pick for national security adviser, suggested Trump might consider the move .
“If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear. First, TikTok is a widely used platform by many Americans and has been instrumental in his campaign and spreading his message,” Waltz told Fox News’ Bret Baier. “But number two, he’s going to protect their information. He’s a merchant. I don’t want to get ahead of our executive orders, but we’re going to create this space to get that deal done.”
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President-elect Trump is seeking to “save” the popular Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, according to his transition team. (Getty Images)
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition, echoed that sentiment Thursday.
“President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to save TikTok, and there is no better marketer than Donald Trump,” Leavitt told Fox News Digital.
A recent law that gave the company nine months to split from its Chinese parent ByteDance or be removed from US app stores and hosting services was the subject of oral arguments before the Supreme Court in January.
Trump’s lawyers filed an amicus brief in the case in December, urging the Supreme Court delay the potential ban until Trump takes office.
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There are roughly 170 million active US users on the social media app, data shows. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
The Supreme Court’s fast-track decision will decide whether the Protecting Americans from Foreign Opponents of Controlled Applications Act — the law that signed President Biden which passed Congress in April with bipartisan approval – will be enforced and restrict US access to the app.
There are roughly 170 million active US users on the social media app, data shows.
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While Trump tried to ban the app in the US during his first administration, he credited TikTok for reaching young voters during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Fox News Digital reached out to TikTok for comment and had not heard back by the time of publication.
Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
