TikTok back in US after a 1-day ban, thanks to Donald Trump’s executive order promise

TikTok has resumed services in the United States after temporarily going dark in compliance with a federal ban that took effect over the weekend. President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to issue an executive order delaying the restrictions, granting TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance additional time to find a U.S.-approved buyer.

The video-sharing platform, which boasts over 170 million American users, went offline late Saturday after Google and Apple removed the app from their stores as mandated by a bipartisan law passed in April. The legislation required ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations by January 18 or face a nationwide ban. However, Trump’s social media post on Truth Social promised to extend the deadline, allowing TikTok to restore its platform.

Trump assured users that his executive order, planned for his first day in office, would “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect” and provide immunity to companies supporting TikTok during this transition. The app was back online Sunday afternoon, and ByteDance thanked Trump for the clarity.

“The President-elect has provided the necessary assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for supporting TikTok’s continued operation,” the company stated on X.

TikTok users were met with pop-up messages notifying them of the ban on Saturday. “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now,” the app read, leaving millions of creators scrambling for alternatives.

The legislation behind the ban cited national security concerns over TikTok’s ties to China, a point repeatedly underscored by U.S. lawmakers. The Biden administration had initiated the restrictions but delayed enforcement, leaving Trump’s incoming administration to decide the platform’s fate.

The law also included provisions for steep fines against companies that continued supporting TikTok. ByteDance, however, resisted selling its U.S. operations and has yet to find a suitable buyer, despite several offers, including a recent merger proposal from AI startup Perplexity AI.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday. Chew expressed gratitude toward Trump for his “strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.” Meanwhile, Trump’s choice for national security adviser, Michael Waltz, confirmed ongoing talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping to address TikTok’s future.