TikTok was revived in the United States on Sunday after President-elect Donald J. Trump said he would issue an executive order to prevent the federal government from banning the app.
The sudden change comes just hours after the major app store removed the popular social media site and stopped operating it for U.S. users. “TikTok is in the process of restoring service due to agreements with service providers,” the company said in a post on X.
“I will issue an executive order on Monday that will extend the period until the law's ban goes into effect so that we can reach a deal to protect our national security,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday morning. ” he said.
The ban stems from a 2024 law that requires app stores and cloud computing providers to stop distributing or hosting TikTok unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance sells it. Lawmakers passed the law over concerns that the Chinese government could use the app, which has an estimated 170 million users in the United States, to gather information on Americans and spread propaganda.
App stores and cloud computing providers that fail to comply with the law could face significant fines. “I confirm that the companies that helped stop the TikTok blackout prior to my order are not liable,” Trump said in a post Sunday.
A possible executive order following TikTok's stunning turnaround renews the battle over the future of the app that has reshaped the social media landscape and popular culture and generated livelihoods for millions of influencers and small businesses. This indicates that we have reached a difficult situation. Businesses that rely on platforms.
When issuing executive orders, Trump will likely question the rule of law in the United States. His action is an attempt to temporarily invalidate the law, which passed Congress with broad bipartisan support and was unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court last week.
TikTok “provides necessary clarity and assurance to service providers that there will be no penalties for bringing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.” We thank President Trump for this,” TikTok said in a statement. I'll be back online.
The long-term success of Mr. Trump's efforts is unclear. His executive orders could face legal challenges, including whether he has the authority to halt enforcement of federal laws. Companies subject to the law may decide that the text of the order alone does not provide sufficient assurance that violations will not be punished.
The law allows the president to grant a 90-day extension if a buyer is found, but only if there are “significant developments” in a deal that would put TikTok in the hands of a non-Chinese company. Additionally, the president must be able to complete the agreement within 90 days before triggering an extension. And given that the law is already in effect, it is unclear whether an option for its extension still exists.
In a post on Sunday, Trump did not provide details, but floated the idea that he would like the United States to have a 50% stake in the joint venture.
TikTok has said a sale is impossible due to the global nature of its business, and China has already indicated it will block exports of its vital video recommendation technology.
Late Saturday, TikTok posted a message to users saying the site was unavailable, but said it was “fortunate that President Trump has committed to working with us on a solution.”
TikTok and several Democratic lawmakers have launched last-ditch efforts to keep the app online in recent days. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, told President Biden privately that allowing the watch app to go dark would undermine his legacy.
Critics of TikTok have launched their own push to get a potential ban off the ground. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has called some major tech companies in recent days to warn them they need to comply with the law, according to three people familiar with the calls. He claimed that there was.
Early Sunday morning, Cotton and Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) in a joint statement praised Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft for complying with the law, noting that violations could lead to bankruptcy.
“Now that this law has entered into force, there is no legal basis for any kind of 'extension' of the effective date,” they added. Sales are the only thing keeping TikTok afloat.
Maggie Haberman, Karen Wise, Sapna Maheshwari and Aaron Krolick Contributed to the report.
