WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers praised the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday that upheld a law requiring a popular Chinese-owned app to be acquired by an American company by Sunday or face a ban.
The Court's unanimous decision reinforced a law passed with broad bipartisan support in Congress last year and signed by President Joe Biden. It was deemed not to breach the First Amendment's protection of free speech.
The ruling was significant for President-elect Donald Trump, who has been endeavoring to preserve the app despite previous attempts to ban it.
Democratic Representative Frank Pallone stated, "The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision sends a clear message that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act is the law of the land," highlighting concerns about national security posed by apps like TikTok.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton also supported the decision, attributing the app's issues to its Chinese ownership.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed gratitude to President-elect Donald Trump for collaborating towards a solution to maintain TikTok's availability in the United States.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
President Trump's advisors are working on strategies to prevent TikTok from being banned.
Trump's incoming national security adviser, U.S. Representative Mike Waltz, mentioned, "We will put measures in place to keep TikTok from going dark."
Under the law, only President Biden could grant a potential 90-day extension for TikTok to find a buyer, which seemed unlikely as of Friday.
Lawmakers urged efforts to secure an American buyer for TikTok to safeguard against Chinese influence and preserve jobs. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and Republican Rep. John Moolenaar echoed this sentiment.