TikTok Back Online as Trump Pledges Executive Order to Delay US Ban
Doha - TikTok restored its services to 170 million American users on Sunday, just hours after the platform went dark due to a federal ban that took effect earlier that day.
The restoration came after President-elect Donald Trump announced he would issue an executive order on Monday to delay the ban's implementation.
The Chinese-owned video-sharing platform suspended its services late Saturday evening, following the enforcement of a law requiring its parent company ByteDance to sell its US operations.
The law, passed with bipartisan support in April and upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday, was enacted due to national security concerns about potential misuse of Americans' data.
'Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it,' Trump declared at a rally at Capital One Arena on Sunday ahead of his inauguration. He outlined plans for a joint venture, stating on his Truth Social platform, 'I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position.'
TikTok welcomed users back with a message directly crediting Trump: 'As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.'
The company expressed gratitude in a statement, thanking 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.'
However, the app remained unavailable for download on Apple and Google app stores as of Sunday. Other ByteDance-owned applications, including video editing app CapCut and lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in US app stores.
The situation has created a rift within the Republican Party. Senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts opposed the temporary reprieve, stating in a joint statement: 'Now that the law has taken effect, there is no legal basis for any kind of 'extension' of its effective date.'
'For TikTok to come back online in the future, ByteDance must agree to a sale that satisfies the law's qualified-divestiture requirements,' they added.
Legal experts have questioned the authority of an executive order to override existing law.
University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias noted that while the law includes a provision allowing the president to postpone the ban for up to 90 days, it's unclear whether the necessary conditions have been met.
The move represents a striking reversal in Trump's position, who during his first term in 2020 had sought to ban the platform over similar security concerns. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday.
Several potential buyers have emerged, including artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, which submitted a proposal to merge with TikTok's US operations.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has also expressed interest in the platform, which analysts estimate could be worth up to $50 billion.
China's foreign ministry responded to the developments on Monday, with spokesperson Mao Ning stating, 'TikTok has operated in the U.S. for many years and is deeply loved by American users.'
'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,' she said.
The temporary restoration of service has provided relief to millions of users and businesses dependent on the platform, though the long-term future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain pending further developments and potential legal challenges.
Read also: Chinese Officials Eye Musk as Potential TikTok Buyer Amid Looming US Ban
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