TikTok has resumed operations for its 170 million U.S. users after President-elect Donald Trump announced he would issue an executive order to delay the app’s potential ban when he takes office on January 20. On the evening of January 18, TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, went offline for American users after a law banning the app on national security grounds was implemented.
Despite initially supporting the ban, Trump pledged on January 19 to delay the law’s enforcement to allow time for negotiations. Following his promise, TikTok confirmed it was in the process of “restoring service.”
Soon after, the app became functional again, and a message popped up thanking Trump by name.
In a statement, TikTok expressed gratitude to the incoming president for “providing the necessary clarity and assurance” and reiterated its commitment to working with Trump on a “long-term solution” to keep TikTok active in the U.S. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration today.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote on January 19, “I’m urging companies not to let TikTok go dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so we can reach a deal to protect national security.”
ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, had previously ignored a law requiring it to sell its U.S. operations to avoid a ban. The law was upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday and went into effect Sunday.
While it’s unclear what legal authority Trump may have to delay the law’s implementation, it is expected his administration will not enforce the ban if he issues an executive order.
