TikTok CEO Thanks Trump for ‘Commitment to Work With Us’ to Keep App Legal in U.S. After Supreme Court Upholds Ban

TikTok is banking on the backing of Donald Trump to keep the Chinese-owned video app legal in the U.S.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, in a video message posted to the platform after the Supreme Court ruling upholding the U.S. law that threatens to ban the app, thanked President-elect Trump for his support in trying to find a workable outcome to keep the app legal.

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“On behalf of everyone at TikTok and all our users across the country, I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States,” Chew said. “This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”

Chew continued, “We are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform — one who has used TikTok to express his own thoughts and perspectives, connecting with the world and generating more than 60 billion views of his content in the process.” He closed the message by saying, “More to come.”

On Friday, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal by TikTok and parent ByteDance to halt a law that will ban the popular video app in the U.S. as of Sunday, Jan. 19, unless China-based ByteDance divests its stake in the app to a party that is not located in a country deemed a “foreign adversary.” The court, in a unanimous ruling, said in part, “Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”

Trump, in a post Friday on Truth Social, wrote: “The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it. My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!”

Chew is slated to attend the incoming president’s Jan. 20 inauguration in Washington, D.C., and to “sit in a position of honor on the dais,” per the New York Times.

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Here is Chew’s video commenting on the Supreme Court opinion and thanking Trump:

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