TikTok is restoring its services to 170 million U.S. users after President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to issue an executive order to grant the app a reprieve when he takes office on Monday.
The Chinese-owned platform had ceased functioning for American users on Saturday evening, following the enactment of a law banning it on national security grounds. Although Trump had previously supported a ban, he vowed on Sunday to delay the law’s implementation and provide additional time for a deal to be reached. TikTok subsequently confirmed it was “restoring service.”
“As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S,” the app informed its users.
“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” TikTok said in an earlier statement that also thanked Trump for “providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties (for) providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”
TikTok’s Gratitude Amid U.S.-China Tensions
TikTok’s public gratitude towards Trump, just a day before his inauguration, comes amid heightened tensions in U.S.-China relations. While Trump has vowed to impose tariffs on China, he has also expressed a desire for closer communication with the Chinese leadership.
In response to questions about the app’s restoration and Trump’s push for a deal, China’s foreign ministry stated on Monday that it believes companies should “decide independently” regarding their operations and agreements.
“TikTok has operated in the U.S. for many years and is deeply loved by American users,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. “We hope that the U.S. can earnestly listen to the voice of reason and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for firms operating there.”
Trump said he would “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”
“I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump stated that the executive order would ensure there would be no liability for any company that helped prevent TikTok from being shut down before his order was issued. He had previously mentioned that he would likely grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban once he took office, a commitment that TikTok referenced in a notice posted to its users.
TikTok Law Sparks Party Divide
Under a law passed last April, the U.S. version of TikTok had to be removed from app stores and web-hosting services if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, did not sell its U.S. operations. TikTok argued before the Supreme Court that the law infringed on free speech protections for its users in the U.S. The law, which received bipartisan support in Congress, was upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court earlier this week.
This issue highlights a divide on key national security matters between the president-elect and members of his own party, with his pick for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, strongly advocating for the ban.
