TikTok began coming back online for American users on Sunday, about twelve hours after the congressionally authorized ban took effect at midnight.
TikTok was previously banned in the U.S. under a law forcing Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest from the video-sharing platform or find a U.S. buyer. However, Trump stepped in with a surprise announcement on Sunday morning.
The incoming president confirmed that he will sign an executive order on Monday to “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect” in order to “make a deal to protect our national security.”
In the statement, Trump also announced that he wants the U.S. to have 50 percent ownership of TikTok as part of a joint venture with a purchaser.
“By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to [stay] up,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Without U.S. approval, there is no [TikTok]. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars — maybe trillions.”
After Trump said his executive order will not hold any company liable for keeping the app “from going dark” before it’s signed, TikTok began restoring service to American users on Sunday afternoon in agreement with its service providers.
“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’s statement reads. “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 legislation that Congress passed last year gave ByteDance until January 19, 2025, to divest from TikTok. Otherwise, the platform would become unavailable on prominent app stores in the U.S.
The Supreme Court unanimously upheld that law on Friday, affirming Congress’s decision to impose the ban for national-security reasons. Since TikTok is primarily owned by a company connected to the Chinese Communist Party, federal lawmakers and Justice Department officials were concerned that the app collected and sent personal data on U.S. citizens to China.
TikTok felt differently, arguing that the ban infringes on its First Amendment rights and that the law requiring divestment from ByteDance is “not possible technologically, commercially, or legally,” particularly by the January 19 deadline. Their appeal was ultimately unsuccessful.
President-elect Donald Trump said he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension to find a U.S. buyer.
Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary and YouTuber MrBeast are among the figures reportedly interested in buying TikTok. O’Leary said he offered $20 billion in cash for the app, while MrBeast said he would buy it after meeting with billionaires. Elon Musk was also rumored to be a potential buyer among Chinese officials, although a TikTok spokesperson dismissed this as “pure fiction.”
Before the announcement, Trump was considering temporarily suspending the ban via an executive order.
“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” Trump told NBC News host Kristen Welker in a phone interview on Saturday.
“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday,” he added.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to restore the platform if the ban went into effect by January 19. Trump reiterated his promise on Truth Social with a simple message earlier on Sunday morning: “SAVE TIKTOK!”
While President Joe Biden signed the TikTok divest-or-ban bill last April, his administration said it wouldn’t enforce the law. Instead, the outgoing president will leave its implementation up to his successor.
Users who tried accessing the app late on Saturday night were greeted with a pop-up message, “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.”
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.,” the message reads. “Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
A new message appeared welcoming back American users to the platform after the hours-long ban: “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
Despite trying to ban TikTok himself during his first term, Trump has become more sympathetic to the platform’s survival. Notably, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration.
In the days prior to TikTok’s ban, many American users flocked to a Chinese replacement called Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote. The Mandarin name translates to “little red book,” referring to the notorious book of quotations from Mao Zedong, who founded Communist China.