How Democrats Fumbled the Politics of the TikTok Ban

While concerns about TikTok are very real, Dems never made the case to the voters that matter most

On Friday morning, the Supreme Court upheld the bipartisan law passed by Congress and signed by President Biden to ban TikTok if the app’s parent company does not sell its U.S. operations to another company. That ban went into effect this morning.

It’s not entirely clear what will happen in the short term. The Biden Administration will not immediately enforce the ban, opting instead to toss the decision into Trump’s lap. Trump posted the following on Truth Social immediately following the release of the Supreme Court decision:

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!

The TikTok ban is a seismic event politically and culturally. It’s the first problem thrust upon Trump’s desk. How it plays out could have dramatic effects.

What Happens Now?

TikTok went dark on Sunday. That step seems entirely unnecessary because the Biden Administration won’t enforce the ban during his final hours in office. Trump announced this morning that he would provide TikTok with a 90-day extension. Neither administration is interested in aggressively enforcing the ban in the coming days.