By Xander Ledesma
TikTok announced on Sunday that it began restoring service to users in the United States after blocking the app the previous evening. The decision follows comments by President-elect Donald Trump, who promised to issue an executive order delaying the application of a newly enacted law banning TikTok if certain assurances were met.
Under the law, which was slated to take effect on Sunday, TikTok would be prohibited from operating in the U.S. unless ByteDance, its China-based owner, agreed to divest or reduce foreign ownership below 20 percent. Although President Joe Biden signed the measure in April 2024 as part of broader restrictions on businesses deemed connected to “foreign adversaries,” the Trump administration is now responsible for overseeing its immediate enforcement before inauguration day.
Hours before TikTok removed its app from Apple’s and Google’s U.S. stores and blocked services for existing users, Trump posted on Truth Social that he planned to issue an executive order to extend the law’s deadline. The order, he said, would also grant immunity to service providers that keep TikTok accessible prior to the new effective date. By Sunday afternoon, TikTok reported that it had received the necessary “clarity and assurance” from the president-elect’s office, allowing it to resume operations.
“We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties,” TikTok said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
The app’s availability returned gradually on Sunday. Some users noted that while the web version became functional, the mobile app remained unavailable for new downloads on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. The law grants the president authority to extend enforcement by up to 90 days if ByteDance appears willing to negotiate a sale or restructuring. ByteDance, however, has signaled no intention to sell control of TikTok to a U.S.-based buyer.
Concerns about TikTok in the United States gained traction in 2020 when the Trump administration raised potential national security issues regarding the platform’s data collection practices and links to China. Although initial executive orders aimed at banning TikTok were delayed or halted by court rulings, lawmakers continued to propose legislation restricting apps owned by entities connected to foreign governments.
President Biden, who had previously voiced concerns about Chinese-owned technology platforms, signed the 2024 law banning TikTok if ByteDance’s ownership was not divested. When the Supreme Court upheld the law last week, implementation fell to the incoming Trump administration.
Some Republicans in the US Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., criticized the decision to provide TikTok with an extension. They argued that the law, as upheld by the Supreme Court, offers no legal basis to delay the ban unless a full divestiture complies with the law’s 20 percent foreign ownership cap.
In contrast, President-elect Trump stated that maintaining TikTok’s operations could benefit his January 20 inauguration by providing a platform for livestreaming and public engagement, echoing his broader pledge to “save TikTok.”
The app’s future in the U.S. remains in flux. While TikTok has resumed service for millions of American users and small businesses, opposition in Congress persists. For TikTok to remain beyond any executive order extension, ByteDance would have to restructure ownership in a manner that meets statutory requirements. If no compromise is reached, another shutdown could be triggered when the extended deadline expires.
TikTok maintains it will collaborate with Trump’s team to find a “long-term solution” that preserves its U.S. presence and protects user data. Critics maintain, however, that any plan must ensure no direct or indirect control by Chinese interests, in line with the new legal framework regulating foreign-owned tech platforms.