TikTok's Chinese-based parent company ByteDance has asked the Supreme Court to delay a legislative deadline by which it must either sell the social media platform to an American buyer or see it banned.

In a stunning move, President-elect Donald Trump is calling for America's highest judicial body to honor that request. 

Social media company claims that ban threat is unconstitutional

The controversy stems from a bill signed by President Joe Biden that gives ByteDance until January 19, 2025 for it to find a U.S. purchaser.

America's highest judicial body announced on December 18 that it would hear ByteDance's challenge to the law, which maintains that the legislation violates the First Amendment.

The tech company further sought to have the January 19 deadline extended, something Trump supported in a brief submitted late last week.

"President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns," Trump attorney D. John Sauer wrote.

"In light of these interests—including, most importantly, his overarching responsibility for the United States’ national security and foreign policy—President Trump opposes banning TikTok in the United States at this juncture, and seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office," he added.

Journalist calls Trump's brief "pretty extraordinary"

Bobby Allyn serves as technology correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR), and he told the network that the president-elect's actions are somewhat unusual.

"It's a pretty extraordinary request given that Trump, right now, he is president-elect, but right now he's filing this motion as a private citizen," Allyn said in an interview this past weekend.

JUST IN: Donald Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can "negotiate a resolution to save the platform" https://t.co/VaDl0nwGYO

— The Hill (@thehill) December 27, 2024

"He doesn't have any kind of legal authority to make this request, but he made it nonetheless," the journalist continued.

"And inside TikTok, they are thrilled because it was always a dice roll in terms of what would happen at the surprise Supreme Court," he explained.

Trump reportedly met with TikTok CEO

"But now we have the president elect saying, TikTok, don't worry, I'm going to rescue the app one way or another," Allyn went on to add.

Meanwhile, CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins cited sources who told her that Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Chew after Saurer submitted Friday's brief.

That conversation is said to have taken place after an earlier meeting held two weeks ago at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago resort.