TikTok has resumed operations in the United States following President Donald Trump’s announcement of an executive order delaying the app’s ban. The decision allows time for a resolution that addresses national security concerns while keeping the popular platform accessible to millions of users.
TikTok confirmed the restoration of services in a statement, expressing gratitude to Trump for providing clarity. The company thanked the president for ensuring that service providers would not face penalties, allowing TikTok to continue serving over 170 million Americans and supporting 7 million small businesses. TikTok stated that the decision represents “a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”
President Trump clarified his position on Truth Social, stating he would issue an executive order extending the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell the app or face a ban. He called on companies to keep TikTok operational during the extension period, ensuring users were not cut off prematurely. “I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark,” Trump wrote, emphasizing that his order would eliminate liability concerns for service providers during this period.
Trump also proposed a long-term solution involving U.S. ownership in a joint venture with ByteDance. He suggested this would secure TikTok’s operations under trusted management and safeguard national security. “With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars—maybe trillions,” he added.
The restoration follows temporary disruption on Saturday, during which TikTok users in the U.S. were informed the app was unavailable due to a newly enacted law. In December, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a requirement for ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban. The original deadline for compliance was January 19, though Trump’s extension provides a 90-day reprieve for negotiations.
The outcome hinges on securing a deal that satisfies U.S. security and economic interests while keeping the app available to its vast American user base.
