TikTok Restores US Service After Trump Says ‘We Have to Save It’

Washington – TikTok began restoring its services on Sunday, January 19, 2025, following President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he would revive the app’s access in the US when he takes office on January 20, 2025.

“Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it,” Trump stated at a rally the day before his inauguration, adding that the US will pursue a joint venture to revive the popular short-video sharing app, which is used by approximately 170 million Americans.

In a message to users hours ahead of the rally, TikTok announced, “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US.” Following the announcement, users began to report access to TikTok’s website and some basic app functionalities, although late on Sunday, the app remained unavailable for download on US app stores.

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company stated, thanking 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 seven million small businesses to thrive.”

The expression of gratitude from TikTok comes at a crucial time for US-China relations. While Trump has expressed intentions to impose tariffs on China, he has also indicated a desire for more direct communication with Chinese leadership.

In response to inquiries about the app’s restoration and Trump’s proposed deal, China’s foreign ministry stated that it believes companies should “decide independently” about their operations and partnerships. Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning noted, “TikTok has operated in the US for many years and is deeply loved by American users. We hope that the US can earnestly listen to the voice of reason and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for firms operating there.”

TikTok’s service had stopped for US users late on Saturday just before a law banning the app over national security concerns came into effect. US officials had earlier suggested that, under the ownership of Chinese parent company ByteDance, there could be risks regarding the misuse of American user data.

Trump indicated 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.” He advocated for a 50% ownership stake in a joint venture, as stated on his Truth Social platform.

Furthermore, his executive order would ensure that no liability would fall on any company assisting in preventing TikTok from being shut down prior to his directive’s implementation. Trump had previously mentioned his likelihood of granting TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban once he is inaugurated, a point that TikTok reiterated in user notifications.

Users received a message reading, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned,” as the app was removed from Apple and Google app stores late on January 18, 2025.

Trump’s pivot to support TikTok represents a significant change from his previous stance during his first term in office, when he sought to ban the application over concerns that it was sharing private information of Americans with the Chinese government. More recently, he has expressed a fondness for TikTok, crediting the platform for helping him win over young voters in the 2024 presidential election.

In August 2020, Trump issued an executive order mandating ByteDance to divest TikTok within a 90-day timeframe. However, he later approved a partnership deal involving both Oracle and Walmart, instead of an outright sale.

Not all members of Trump’s Republican Party were in favor of circumventing the law to “Save TikTok.” Senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts issued a statement emphasizing that, given the law’s effectiveness, any attempts to extend its implementation lacked a legal foundation. They argued that for TikTok to resume operations, ByteDance must comply with legal divestiture requirements that sever all connections with China.

No major social media platform has ever faced a permanent ban in the US. The law, overwhelmingly passed by Congress, grants the incoming Trump administration substantial authority to prohibit or seek the divestiture of other Chinese-owned applications.

Other ByteDance-owned applications, such as the video editing platform CapCut and the social app Lemon8, also faced suspension, becoming unavailable in US app stores as of late Saturday. Apple and Google have yet to respond to inquiries regarding the matter.

Following the sudden access loss, there was a notable spike in web searches for “VPN,” demonstrating users’ quest to bypass restrictions. Meanwhile, Instagram users expressed concern over whether products purchased through TikTok Shop would still reach them.

Marketing firms that rely on TikTok scrambled to develop contingency plans in response to the situation, with one executive describing the episode as a “hair on fire” moment.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend the US presidential inauguration and join Trump at a rally on the same day, as discussions regarding the future of the platform continue.

Potential buyers like former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt have shown interest in TikTok’s rapidly expanding business, with analysts estimating its value at up to $50 billion. Reports have indicated that Beijing is engaged in negotiations regarding a possible sale of TikTok’s US operations to Elon Musk, a billionaire and Trump ally, though such claims have been challenged by the company.

Recently, US search engine startup Perplexity AI submitted an offer to ByteDance to merge with TikTok US, aiming to create a new entity by uniting the merged company with additional partners.

Privately held ByteDance is primarily owned by institutional investors, such as BlackRock and General Atlantic, while its founders and employees possess significant stakes in the company. The firm employs more than 7,000 individuals in the US.