Ken Paxton was one of the Republican AGs to file a lawsuit against TikTok for its "harmful" practices. (Photo illustration for Fox News Digital/Getty Images)
"President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to save TikTok, and there’s no better dealmaker than Donald Trump," Trump's national press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously told Fox News Digital.
Several Republican state attorneys general have actively pursued actions to ban TikTok, citing national security concerns and potential data privacy issues. In December 2024, 22 attorneys general, including those from Virginia and Montana, filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the "divest-or-ban" law against TikTok. The law mandates that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, divest its U.S. operations or face a potential ban due to national security concerns.
TRUMP'S 'BLACKLIST': PRESIDENT-ELECT DESCRIBES THE TYPE OF PEOPLE HE DOESN'T WANT TO HIRE
President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Republicans aren't the only ones concerned about TikTok. Several Democratic state attorneys general have actively pursued legal actions against the social media app, too. In October 2024, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with 12 other states and the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit alleging that TikTok exploits and harms young users and deceives the public about the social media platform’s dangers.
While Trump tried to ban the app from U.S. access during his first administration, he credited TikTok for reaching young voters during the 2024 presidential campaign.
TikTok went dark earlier this month after ByteDance had nine months to sell TikTok to an approved buyer but opted, along with TikTok, to take legal action against the law. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law, citing national security risks because of its ties to China.
The app was reinstated for U.S. users the following day, with Trump promising an executive order to extend TikTok's sale.
"Welcome back!" the TikTok message read. "Thank you for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"
Fox News Digital has reached out to TikTok for comment.
Fox Business' Alexandra Koch, Bradford Betz and Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-state-ags-await-trump-brokered-tiktok-deal-remain-skeptical-app-safety