TikTok restored service in the United States on Sunday after a brief suspension caused by a law targeting the app on national security grounds. The sudden turnaround came as President-elect Donald Trump, set to retake office on Monday, claimed credit for facilitating the restoration.
The shutdown occurred late Saturday when TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, faced a looming deadline to sell its U.S. operations to non-Chinese owners. Millions of users were locked out of the app, sparking widespread frustration.
In response, Trump announced plans to issue an executive order to delay the ban, allowing additional time for negotiations. On his Truth Social platform, he suggested that the U.S. government should consider partial ownership of TikTok to address security concerns.
The outgoing Biden administration, which had initially supported the ban, later clarified it would not enforce the restrictions. TikTok’s future remains uncertain as discussions continue regarding its ownership and compliance with U.S. regulations.
The president-elect said he “would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture,” arguing that the app’s value could surge to “hundreds of billions of dollars — maybe trillions.”
“By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands,” wrote Trump, who had previously backed a TikTok ban and during his first term in office made moves towards one.
In a statement posted on X following Trump’s comments, TikTok said it “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.”
TikTok was back up and running in the United States by Sunday afternoon, though it didn’t respond to President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion for partial American ownership of the app. The recent legislation gives the White House a 90-day window to delay the ban if progress toward a viable deal can be demonstrated, but ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, has steadfastly rejected any sale.
The Biden administration announced it would leave the enforcement of the law to Trump, who previously signed an executive order in 2020 pushing for ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations.
While TikTok remains wildly popular for transforming ordinary users into global stars, from teen dancers to grandmothers sharing cooking tips, it has also been criticized for disinformation and its ties to China, raising ongoing national security concerns.
The brief shutdown followed a Supreme Court ruling on Friday that upheld the ban pending the sale. Although Trump credited the app for helping him connect with younger voters, it remains uncertain what actions the incoming president can take to resolve the situation unless ByteDance agrees to divest its U.S. operations.
“Congress wrote this law to be virtually president-proof,” warned Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of industry trade group Chamber of Progress.
The recent law targeting TikTok in the United States goes beyond removing the app from app stores—it also mandates that tech giants like Apple and Google block new downloads, with fines of up to $5,000 per user if the app is accessed. Additionally, Oracle, responsible for hosting TikTok’s servers, is also required to enforce the ban.
On social media platforms like X, memes and comments flooded in after Sunday’s temporary shutdown. While many expressed disappointment, others took a more cynical approach, drawing attention to President Trump’s previous attempts to ban the app.
In Europe, TikTok’s suspension garnered support from Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, who praised the move and suggested similar actions might be needed in Europe, especially given the region’s heightened resistance to disinformation. Tsahkna posted on X, “Banning TikTok must be considered in Europe as well.”
The issue even made its way to the Australian Open in Melbourne, where American tennis star Coco Gauff added to the conversation by writing “RIP TikTok USA” on a courtside camera.
“I love TikTok, it’s like an escape… hopefully it comes back,” the world number three told reporters.
In a last-minute move on Saturday, the rapidly growing start-up Perplexity AI put forward a proposal to merge with TikTok’s U.S. subsidiary, according to a source familiar with the discussions. While the proposal did not specify a price, the source estimates the deal could be worth at least $50 billion.
Additionally, Frank McCourt, the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has also made an offer to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations, intensifying the competition for the app’s future amid the ongoing concerns over its Chinese ownership.
