Biden doesn’t even want to be president anymore.
President Joe Biden has chosen not to enforce a law aimed at banning TikTok, leaving the responsibility to the incoming administration. As Biden prepares to exit office, he has reportedly decided to hand over the decision to President-elect Donald Trump, giving the new administration a chance to address the looming challenge posed by the Chinese-owned social media app.
The law, which passed both chambers of Congress and was signed by the president last year, requires TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest itself of the platform by January 19 or face a full ban in the U.S. This legislation was motivated by national security concerns, particularly regarding the app’s connection to China’s Communist Party and the potential for data collection on American users. With more than 170 million Americans using TikTok monthly, the stakes are high.
TikTok’s leadership has reportedly planned for the possibility of a shutdown on January 19, but Trump is considering executive action that would delay the implementation of the law for up to 90 days. His team, led by incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz, has indicated that they will work to prevent TikTok from going dark, pointing to provisions in the law that could allow for an extension if a viable solution is on the table.
The issue has also reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently agreed to fast-track a case filed by TikTok challenging the constitutionality of the law. The platform argues that the ban would infringe on its First Amendment rights. However, legal experts and national security officials contend that the potential risks posed by the Chinese government’s access to American data outweigh concerns about free speech.
As President Trump prepares to take office, it’s clear that the TikTok issue will remain a point of contention, with national security at the forefront of the debate. While TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, recently visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in a bid to avert the ban, it remains to be seen how the new administration will handle the app’s future.