With President-elect Donald Trump set to take office in a matter of days, TikTok could potentially be saved in the 11th hour— but not if the U.S. Supreme Court gets its way. On Friday (January 17), the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ban on the Chinese-owned app, set to take effect on Sunday (January 19) unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells the app to an American firm—a move ByteDance has refused.
The ban stems from national security concerns over TikTok’s data collection practices and its ties to a foreign adversary. While the app may continue to function for existing users, ByteDance has suggested it might shut down the platform entirely in the U.S. The Court acknowledged TikTok’s significance to over 170 million Americans but emphasized Congress’s authority to address security risks.
The decision leaves the app’s fate uncertain, as President-elect Donald Trump will assume office on January 20.
In December 2024, Trump requested a delay in the law’s implementation to explore political solutions. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has stated it doesn’t intend to enforce the ban but argues that TikTok should operate under American ownership. The timing of the ban, coinciding with the presidential transition and a holiday weekend, has shifted responsibility to the incoming administration.
The Washington Post reports that Trump—who’s inauguration is set for Monday (January 20)— is considering an executive order to postpone the TikTok ban in the U.S. However, since the ban is scheduled to take effect on the same day, it’s uncertain whether the order would be issued in time. If implemented, the delay would give potential U.S. buyers more time to negotiate a possible acquisition of the app, a key objective for the U.S. government in addressing its concerns about the platform.
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