TikTok reinstates U.S. service following Trump's executive order
TikTok has resumed its operations in the United States following a decision influenced by an executive order from former President Trump.
TroibNews 
TikTok began reinstating its services on Sunday following President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that he would restore the app's access in the United States upon assuming office on Monday.
"Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it," Trump stated at a rally on Sunday before his inauguration, emphasizing that the U.S. would pursue a joint venture to bring back the short-video sharing app, which is utilized by 170 million Americans.
In a message sent to users just hours before the rally, TikTok declared, "As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S."
Earlier, TikTok had confirmed that U.S. users were starting to regain access to their website, while the app itself began to come back online for some users, although only limited services were available. As of Sunday evening, the app could not be downloaded from U.S. app stores.
"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service," TikTok said in its earlier message, also thanking Trump for "providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive."
The service became unavailable for U.S. users late on Saturday, just before a law aimed at shuttering the app due to national security concerns took effect on Sunday. U.S. officials had expressed fears that Americans' data might be compromised under Chinese parent company ByteDance.
Trump remarked that he would "extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security."
"I would like the United States to have a 50-percent ownership position in a joint venture," he stated on Truth Social.
He also mentioned that the executive order would explicitly state that there would be no liability for any company assisting in keeping TikTok operational before his directive.
Previously, Trump indicated that he would likely grant TikTok a 90-day delay of the ban after he takes office, a promise that TikTok referenced in a user notification on the app.
"A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned," the notification read, prior to TikTok's removal from Apple and Google app stores late on Saturday.
Trump's decision to revive TikTok represents a shift from his earlier position during his first term. In 2020, he sought to ban the app over concerns regarding the sharing of Americans' personal information with the Chinese government. More recently, Trump has claimed to have "a warm spot in my heart for TikTok," attributing its popularity with young voters to his success in the 2024 election.
Historically, the U.S. has never banned a significant social media platform. The newly enacted law, which passed Congress with overwhelming support, provides the incoming Trump administration broad authority to either ban or negotiate the sale of other Chinese-owned applications.
Other ByteDance-owned apps, such as the video editing tool CapCut and the lifestyle-focused Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in U.S. app stores as of late Saturday.
Following the loss of access to TikTok, web searches for "VPN" surged dramatically, according to Google Trends.
Instagram users expressed concerns about whether they would still receive items purchased through TikTok Shop, the platform's e-commerce feature.
Marketing firms that depend on TikTok were quick to make contingency plans, with one executive describing the situation as a "hair on fire" scenario, after many had assumed a solution to keep the app operational would soon be found.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to be present at the U.S. presidential inauguration and attend a rally with Trump on Sunday, according to a source.
Additionally, U.S. search engine startup Perplexity AI submitted an acquisition proposal to ByteDance on Saturday for a merger with TikTok U.S., a source familiar with the company's intentions revealed. The merger would combine TikTok U.S. with other partners to establish a new entity.
ByteDance, which is privately held, is approximately 60 percent owned by institutional investors, including BlackRock and General Atlantic, while its founders and employees each hold a 20 percent stake. The company employs over 7,000 people across the United States.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
"Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it," Trump stated at a rally on Sunday before his inauguration, emphasizing that the U.S. would pursue a joint venture to bring back the short-video sharing app, which is utilized by 170 million Americans.
In a message sent to users just hours before the rally, TikTok declared, "As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S."
Earlier, TikTok had confirmed that U.S. users were starting to regain access to their website, while the app itself began to come back online for some users, although only limited services were available. As of Sunday evening, the app could not be downloaded from U.S. app stores.
"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service," TikTok said in its earlier message, also thanking Trump for "providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive."
The service became unavailable for U.S. users late on Saturday, just before a law aimed at shuttering the app due to national security concerns took effect on Sunday. U.S. officials had expressed fears that Americans' data might be compromised under Chinese parent company ByteDance.
Trump remarked that he would "extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security."
"I would like the United States to have a 50-percent ownership position in a joint venture," he stated on Truth Social.
He also mentioned that the executive order would explicitly state that there would be no liability for any company assisting in keeping TikTok operational before his directive.
Previously, Trump indicated that he would likely grant TikTok a 90-day delay of the ban after he takes office, a promise that TikTok referenced in a user notification on the app.
"A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned," the notification read, prior to TikTok's removal from Apple and Google app stores late on Saturday.
Trump's decision to revive TikTok represents a shift from his earlier position during his first term. In 2020, he sought to ban the app over concerns regarding the sharing of Americans' personal information with the Chinese government. More recently, Trump has claimed to have "a warm spot in my heart for TikTok," attributing its popularity with young voters to his success in the 2024 election.
Historically, the U.S. has never banned a significant social media platform. The newly enacted law, which passed Congress with overwhelming support, provides the incoming Trump administration broad authority to either ban or negotiate the sale of other Chinese-owned applications.
Other ByteDance-owned apps, such as the video editing tool CapCut and the lifestyle-focused Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in U.S. app stores as of late Saturday.
Following the loss of access to TikTok, web searches for "VPN" surged dramatically, according to Google Trends.
Instagram users expressed concerns about whether they would still receive items purchased through TikTok Shop, the platform's e-commerce feature.
Marketing firms that depend on TikTok were quick to make contingency plans, with one executive describing the situation as a "hair on fire" scenario, after many had assumed a solution to keep the app operational would soon be found.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to be present at the U.S. presidential inauguration and attend a rally with Trump on Sunday, according to a source.
Additionally, U.S. search engine startup Perplexity AI submitted an acquisition proposal to ByteDance on Saturday for a merger with TikTok U.S., a source familiar with the company's intentions revealed. The merger would combine TikTok U.S. with other partners to establish a new entity.
ByteDance, which is privately held, is approximately 60 percent owned by institutional investors, including BlackRock and General Atlantic, while its founders and employees each hold a 20 percent stake. The company employs over 7,000 people across the United States.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
