As the Supreme Court prepared on Friday to announce its landmark ruling on whether to uphold a law that would have effectively banned TikTok in the United States, the popular Chinese-owned app and its allies launched a last-minute push to fend off law enforcement.
Representatives for the company have swarmed Capitol Hill in recent days, pressing lawmakers with TikTok’s case that the app, which is owned by ByteDance, will win a suspension from going dark on Sunday, when the law is scheduled to be introduced. in force, according to three people with knowledge of the matter. with the said efforts.
Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, recently told President Biden in a phone call that the ban would damage his legacy if it happened on his watch, according to two people familiar with the conversation. Mr. Schumer, who has said he wanted TikTok to be sold to an American owner rather than banned, confirmed publicly on Thursday that he pressured Mr. Biden to extend the deadline.
At the same time, President-elect Donald J. Trump — who has signaled his support for the implementation and will take office on Monday — has weighed signing an executive order that could effectively overturn the law.
The flurry of activity came as the Supreme Court, in an extraordinary move, strongly suggested it would rule on the law on Friday. Putting the case on an extremely fast track last month, the justices heard arguments just a week ago and appeared willing to uphold the law.
“That threat to go dark on Sunday got people’s attention,” said Sarah Kreps, director of the Technology Policy Institute at Cornell University. He seems to have “crystallized what is really at stake.”
The potential ban stems from bipartisan legislation last year that would have forced app stores such as Apple and Google, as well as cloud computing providers, to stop distributing TikTok unless ByteDance sells it to a non-Chinese owner within 270 days. Mr. Biden signed the law in April over national security concerns that the Chinese government could use the app to spy on Americans and spread propaganda.
If the Supreme Court upholds the law, as expected, the ruling will have untold effects on the social media landscape, popular culture, and the millions of influencers and small businesses that rely on the platform for a living. TikTok, which says it has 170 million users in the US, has become a cultural hub that has hosted everything from videos about dance trends to important information about communities in crisis. Other social media companies are very likely to profit.
A ban would also have major implications for US-China relations, which are already deeply strained over trade and tariffs. Beijing curbed exports of critical minerals to the United States last month after officials in Washington placed new restrictions on China’s computer chip industry. Mr. Trump has threatened a wider trade war since taking office.
It is unclear whether an executive order by Mr. Trump could effectively stop a ban. Legal experts said he could ask the Justice Department not to enforce the law or delay enforcement for a specified period of time, but how such an executive order would fare if challenged in court is uncertain.
Another possible way to stop a ban would be to find a buyer, allowing the president to extend the deadline by 90 days. The law says a viable deal must be on the table, but no clear buyers have emerged. Some lawmakers urged Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump on Thursday to extend the deadline anyway.
TikTok has claimed that the sale is impossible because TikTok is a global business and China has already signaled that it will block the export of its all-important video recommendation technology.
Instead, TikTok is working on political connections to avoid losing its US business. TikTok Chief Executive Officer Shou Chew is living in the United States instead of his usual base of Singapore amid the political chaos surrounding the company, two people familiar with his plans said.
Mr. Trump called Mr. Chou to attend the inauguration on Monday and sit in a seat of honor in the courtyard, where former presidents, family and other important guests traditionally sit.
TikTok has also leaned on its relationships with conservative influencers. He spent thousands of dollars to headline a party this Sunday called “The Power 30,” which will honor conservative influencers.
Inside the company, employees have weighed whether the experience of using the app should change in any way if the ban goes into effect.
On Friday, the Supreme Court will issue at least one opinion starting at 10 a.m., a day when it was not previously expected to rule. The justices will not take the bench, an unusual move to rule on contested cases.
The last time the court did so was in March, when it ruled in another rushed and consequential case, rejecting a challenge to Mr. Trump on the Colorado primary ballot.
While the TikTok law won bipartisan support last year, some politicians now worry that a ban could spark widespread political backlash among Americans. Many young adults rely on TikTok for an endless stream of memes, lively dance moves, political commentary, news and humor.
“We’re going to take steps to prevent TikTok from going dark,” said former spokesman Mike Waltz, who is Mr. Trump’s new national security adviser. Trump, Thursday morning on “Fox and Friends.” “It was a great platform for him and his campaign to bring his first message to America, but at the same time he wants to protect their data.”
Democrats have expressed concern in recent days that the app would go offline on Mr. Biden, even announcing legislation on Tuesday to extend the deadline for the sale. Mr. Schumer blamed Republicans for blocking the proposal.
“It is clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers,” said Mr. Schumer during his speech to the Senate. floor on Thursday.
Two of the bill’s sponsors, Senators Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey, both Democrats, called on Mr. Biden to extend the deadline by 90 days at a news conference Thursday — even without a deal to sell the company on the table.
“He’s the sitting president and he can exercise that power right now,” said Mr. Markey.
“We hope that if President Biden doesn’t exercise that authority, that President Trump, after his inauguration on Monday, will exercise that authority to make sure that TikTok stays alive,” Mr. Markey.
Katie Edmondson contributed to the report.
