TikTok became accessible to some U.S. users on Sunday following President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he would sign an executive order on Monday, after his inauguration, to delay a federal ban on the app.
In a statement on X, TikTok confirmed it was working to restore service to its American users. The company expressed gratitude to President Trump for providing clarity and assurance to its service providers, ensuring they would not face penalties for offering TikTok to over 170 million U.S. users, and supporting the 7 million small businesses that rely on the app.
“TikTok is committed to working with President Trump on a long-term solution that ensures TikTok remains available in the United States,” the company stated. “This decision is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”
The move followed Trump’s post on his social media platform, Truth Social, in which he stated he would “issue an executive order on Monday” to delay the ban. Trump urged companies not to allow TikTok to be shut down, writing on Sunday morning, “I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!”
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Earlier on Saturday night, TikTok was taken offline for U.S. users, and it was removed from the Apple and Google app stores. However, some users were still able to access the app through mobile apps and desktop browsers on Sunday.
The ban was set to go into effect on Sunday after the Chinese parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, failed to divest the app to a non-Chinese entity. The Supreme Court had upheld the law that would ban the app and penalize third-party service providers, like Apple and Google, for supporting TikTok after the ban took effect.
Despite TikTok’s efforts to restore its service in the U.S. following Trump’s intervention, the app’s future remains uncertain under the current legal framework.
Trump had previously suggested on Truth Social that he would like the U.S. to hold a 50% stake in TikTok through a joint venture to ensure it stays in American hands. However, ByteDance has not signaled any intention to sell the company.
