In a recent interview, Congressman Mike Waltz from Florida, who has been chosen by Trump for the position of national security adviser, indicated that the president-elect is looking into ways to maintain the presence of TikTok in the U.S.
Waltz made these remarks on Fox News while discussing a report from The Washington Post, which mentioned that Trump is contemplating an executive order that would delay the enforcement of a federal statute that could lead to a nationwide ban of the widely-used social media app by this Sunday.
Last week, the Supreme Court engaged in oral arguments concerning a legal challenge pertaining to the statute, which was filed by TikTok, its parent company ByteDance based in China, and several users of the application. It appears that the Justices are inclined to support the law, which mandates that ByteDance must divest TikTok due to national security issues or risk a ban in one of its largest markets.
“Should the Supreme Court issue a ruling that favors the law, President Trump has made his stance quite clear: first, TikTok is a fantastic platform that many Americans enjoy utilizing and has significantly boosted his campaign by facilitating communication of his message. Secondly, he is committed to safeguarding their data,” Waltz explained.
Waltz also characterized Trump as a skilled negotiator, stating, “I don’t want to anticipate our executive orders, but we are working to establish conditions that will allow us to finalize a deal.”
In a separate statement on Wednesday, Pam Bondi, who has been nominated by Trump to serve as attorney general, sidestepped a question during a Senate hearing regarding her position on enforcing a TikTok ban.
Trump has shifted his stance on TikTok, having attempted to impose a ban during his initial term in response to national security issues. Currently, he has embraced the app as part of his 2024 presidential campaign strategy, using it to engage with younger demographics, particularly male voters. His campaign has leaned heavily on viral and often masculine-themed content. During this campaign, Trump has pledged to “save TikTok” and has credited the app for aiding in attracting a larger youth vote.
