Washington: The White House has reiterated its stance that TikTok, the Chinese social media app, should continue to operate in the United States, provided it is under American ownership to mitigate national security concerns.

According to Anadolu Agency, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Joe Biden's position on TikTok has been consistent, especially following the passage of a bill by Congress. The bill, which was passed with bipartisan support, underscores the importance of TikTok remaining accessible to Americans, contingent on American or alternative ownership that addresses the national security issues outlined by Congress.

The Supreme Court has upheld legislation that mandates a ban on TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, relinquishes ownership. The court concluded that this divest-or-ban requirement does not infringe upon ByteDance's First Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution.

In a related development, President-elect Donald Trump, who has previously expressed support for TikTok, is set to return to the White House on Monday as he begins his second term. This coincides with the deadline for TikTok to divest. Trump has also called for the Supreme Court to postpone its decision to allow for further negotiations. Additionally, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump's inauguration.

The bipartisan legislation, enacted in April and signed into law by President Biden, grants ByteDance a 270-day period to divest or face a ban, emphasizing the urgency of resolving the ownership issue to ensure TikTok's continued availability in the U.S.