Staff Reports
Merrick Garland is at it again, this time pulling out his trusty legal sword to fight against a potentially TikTok-related clash with Donald Trump. This saga revolves around a new law that would force the Chinese-owned TikTok, or as it’s formally known, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. assets by January 19 or face exile from American soil. Congress, in an act that surprisingly gathered bipartisan support, swatted this measure into law after concerns sprang up about the platform’s data collection practices and its possible connection to the Chinese Communist Party. Who knew TikTok’s dance moves could end up being a national security risk?
The TikTok crew and its loyal users have jumped into a full-on legal tango, claiming that shutting down the app would stomp all over their precious First Amendment rights. They argue that for many entrepreneurs, TikTok is not just an app; it’s their ticket to financial freedom. But isn’t it ironic that the very app that delights in showing off dances might be dancing to the tune of Beijing?
Trump’s legal team has been busy trying to spin this tale in the Supreme Court, claiming that the court should hit the brakes on this law so that the president-elect has some time to “hash it out and negotiate.” They’re suggesting that this congressional act is not just a little hiccup but a potential hurdle for free speech. Apparently, Trump, who famously disliked TikTok during his presidency, now believes he’s the chosen one to broker some sort of TikTok peace treaty, despite raking in a whopping 15 million followers on the app himself since joining. Talk about a twist!
In the battle of the titans, Garland has come forward with a pretty serious retort, stating that the Chinese government has a long history of using companies like TikTok for some serious data mining operations on unsuspecting Americans. He emphasized that the threat of it being used as a tool for espionage is no light matter. After all, having a Chinese-owned app collect sensitive data on 170 million Americans is like handing over the keys to the kingdom, while hoping the reigning kingdom doesn’t decide to ransack the place.
If the court doesn't halt or delay the law, it would go into effect one day before Inauguration Day. https://t.co/6M03HPAvrM
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) January 5, 2025
Despite TikTok’s best efforts, lower courts have not been kind, and it looks like the Supreme Court will make its stance clearer on January 10. It seems that while Trump’s team is looking to calm the waters, Garland is steering the ship towards a deadline that may or may not spell doom for TikTok in the U.S. As the clock ticks down, it’s a wild ride toward a potential TikTok ban, and one can only wonder if all of this drama has anyone practicing their own set of dance moves in the legal arena.
