TikTok announced Sunday it was restoring access to its platform for U.S. users just hours after going dark in compliance with a federal ban. President-elect Donald Trump stated he would issue an executive order on his first day in office to delay the ban and grant TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, more time to find an approved buyer.
Trump shared his plan on Truth Social, promising to extend the timeline before the law’s restrictions take effect. The announcement followed a turbulent morning for millions of TikTok users, who discovered they were unable to access the app.
The law, passed with bipartisan support in April, required ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations by Sunday or face app removal from digital storefronts. Complying with the statute, Google and Apple removed TikTok and other ByteDance-developed apps, including Lemon8 and CapCut, from their stores late Saturday.
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“Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates,” the company said in a statement.
Despite the app’s return for existing users, it remained unavailable for download on app stores. ByteDance credited Trump’s announcement for providing “the necessary clarity and assurance” to service providers, enabling TikTok to resume operations for over 170 million U.S. users.
The law, enacted due to national security concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ownership, allows the president to grant a 90-day extension if a potential sale is underway. While Trump’s intervention aims to avert immediate consequences, some lawmakers, including Republican Senator Tom Cotton, criticized companies aiding TikTok’s operations.
“Any company supporting TikTok could face severe legal and financial consequences,” Cotton warned on X, citing potential penalties under securities law and lawsuits from state attorneys general.
The Supreme Court upheld the ban last week, ruling that TikTok’s ties to China posed a greater risk to national security than any concerns about limiting free speech on the platform.
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ByteDance has repeatedly stated it will not sell TikTok, but Trump expressed optimism about facilitating a deal. According to a report, AI startup Perplexity AI recently proposed forming a new entity combining TikTok’s U.S. operations with its own business. Billionaire investors, including Kevin O’Leary and Frank McCourt, have also submitted multi-billion-dollar offers, though none have gained traction.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew thanked Trump for his support in a video posted Saturday, commending his stance on the First Amendment. Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration Monday, further highlighting the app’s entanglement in political and cultural debates.
For TikTok creators like Tiffany Watson, 20, the platform’s temporary shutdown was a wake-up call.
“The TikTok community is unique, and losing it felt surreal,” Watson said. She plans to focus on growing her presence on Instagram and YouTube while uncertainty looms over TikTok’s future.
Despite its precarious position, TikTok remains a cultural phenomenon, initially capturing audiences with lighthearted dance videos and music clips before evolving into a platform for political discourse, education, and entertainment.
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