TikTok made a surprise comeback on Sunday, just 14 hours after shutting down in anticipation of a nationwide ban. This sudden reversal was prompted by President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to halt the ban, which was set to take effect on Sunday.
As part of his plan, Trump vowed to extend the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to sell the app. This move would allow TikTok to continue operating in the US, alleviating concerns over national security and data privacy.
Upon its return, TikTok greeted users with a popup message that read: “Welcome back! As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.”
While the app is now accessible to many American users, it’s still not available for download on Apple’s App Store .
Tiktok Confirms The News!
In a statement, Tiktok also thanked Trump for the reviving the app in the country. “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive,” TikTok said in a post on X.
“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 company added.
STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK:
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025
In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170…
Donald Trump made a last-minute plea on Truth Social to keep TikTok available in the US, just hours before the app was set to be blocked. Sharing the reason, he mentioned that he wanted TikTok to be able to broadcast his inauguration, which coincidentally will take on Monday.
“I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order,” Trump wrote.
