Less than a day after going offline, TikTok announced it is back online following assurances from President-elect Donald Trump to the company's service providers—likely Apple, Google, and Oracle—that his administration would not enforce a previously proposed ban on the app. "TikTok is currently in the process of restoring services in collaboration with our providers," the company stated. "We appreciate President Trump for offering the necessary clarity and assurance, ensuring our providers won't face penalties for delivering TikTok to over 170 million Americans and supporting more than 7 million small businesses. This marks a significant step in defending the First Amendment and opposing unwarranted censorship. We look forward to working with President Trump on a long-term strategy to keep TikTok operational in the U.S."
The battle over TikTok's future in the U.S. has taken another dramatic turn. Last year, Congress passed legislation mandating that ByteDance, TikTok's China-based parent company, sell off its U.S. operations or risk being banned starting January 19. TikTok challenged the law in court, arguing it violated First Amendment rights, but ultimately lost at the Supreme Court. Yesterday, both Apple and Google removed the app from their stores, along with several other ByteDance-developed applications. Additionally, according to The Information, Oracle instructed its employees to shut down servers managing TikTok's U.S. data.
The situation has paved the way for President-elect Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok during his tenure, to step in and potentially save the app before taking office. On Sunday morning, he announced on Truth Social that he would issue an executive order on Monday to delay the enforcement of the law, giving more time to negotiate a deal that addresses national security concerns. "The order will also clarify that no company involved in keeping TikTok online before my directive will face any legal consequences," Trump stated.
Under the current law, Trump can only extend the deadline if ByteDance demonstrates significant progress in selling its U.S. operations. Potential buyers include high-profile figures such as Elon Musk and billionaire Frank McCourt. While McCourt has submitted an official bid, Bloomberg reports that Musk's name surfaced in discussions with Chinese officials. Trump further elaborated on his vision, suggesting that the U.S. should hold a 50% stake in a joint venture to secure TikTok's future. "By doing this, we can safeguard TikTok, ensure responsible ownership, and allow it to continue operating. Without U.S. approval, TikTok cannot exist. With our approval, its value could reach hundreds of billions—maybe even trillions," he posted.
As of now, TikTok and other ByteDance apps remain unavailable in U.S. app stores. However, some users have reported regaining access to their feeds, which had been inaccessible the previous night. Others have been able to log into their accounts, though functionality appears to vary.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, the Biden administration seemed to soften its stance on the ban, stating that enforcement would be left to the incoming Trump administration. However, this assurance did not satisfy TikTok, which opted to go offline voluntarily before the deadline.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew took to the platform to directly appeal to President-elect Trump, expressing gratitude for his willingness to collaborate on a solution that would keep TikTok operational in the U.S. In his video message, Chew thanked Trump for his commitment to finding a resolution. However, the video was met with ridicule on Blind, an anonymous workplace messaging app where users must verify their employment to access company-related discussions. "CEO begging Trump to save TT," one user commented, while another added, "This is so cringe."
Although support for the ban had waned among U.S. adults in recent months, some officials in Washington quietly distanced themselves from it. However, not everyone welcomed TikTok's return. Critics voiced their concerns, with Senator Tom Cotton warning on X that any company involved in hosting, distributing, or servicing TikTok—given its ties to China—could face severe legal consequences. He emphasized that the potential liability could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars, citing possible actions from the Department of Justice, securities regulations, shareholder lawsuits, and state attorneys general. "Think about it," he cautioned.
