Prof. Alan Rozenshtein Quoted by Christian Science Monitor About the Administration Ignoring the Law During TikTok Negotiations

Professor Alan Rozenshtein was quoted by the Christian Science Monitor about how in the light of the possible TikTok deal, the law to ban the app was not enforced. Despite being banned in January, TikTok has remained fully operational as the Trump administration did not enforce the law, saying it was negotiating a deal. The “framework” of a deal was announced Monday, but even with a possible agreement, questions remain about whether a president can simply decline to enact a law passed by Congress. Prof. Rozenshtein said there is a theoretical basis for the administration’s argument that it doesn’t have to enforce a law it says will interfere with the president’s constitutional responsibilities. But Trump’s claim that he can overrule a TikTok ban passed by Congress because it involves national security takes that argument to an unworkable level. He said, “By that logic, almost anything that had any relation to foreign affairs or other countries could interfere with the president’s constitutional powers.” And even a resolution to the TikTok matter doesn’t change anything. He said, “You can’t pick and choose. You can’t say, I’m going to let the president disobey the laws only when it will lead to a good outcome.”