TikTok has resumed its services for its 170 million users in the United States after a last-minute intervention from President-elect Donald Trump.
On January 20, Trump stepped in to prevent the app from going dark for American users, just days after a law banning TikTok on national security grounds took effect.
The Chinese-owned app had stopped functioning on January 18, following the enforcement of the law.
The ban, which was implemented to address security concerns regarding TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, had left American users unable to access the platform.
However, Trump, who had previously supported the ban, promised on Sunday to delay the implementation of the law, allowing more time for negotiations to take place.
TikTok quickly responded, confirming that it was in the process of restoring service to its US users.
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Within hours, the app was back online, and users received a pop-up message thanking Trump for his intervention.
The company also issued a statement expressing gratitude to the incoming president, saying it appreciated
Trump provided and looked forward to working together on a long-term solution to keep TikTok operational in the United States.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, encouraging companies not to allow TikTok to remain “dark.”
He stated that he would issue an executive order to extend the timeline before the law’s prohibitions take effect, giving his administration more time to negotiate a deal that addresses national security concerns.
The law, which mandates the sale of TikTok’s US operations to avoid a ban, had been upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday.
While it remains unclear what legal authority Trump would use to delay the law’s enforcement, it is expected that his administration will not actively enforce the ban if he follows through with his executive order.
