TikTok has been reinstated on the U.S. app stores of Apple and Google following a delay in the enforcement of a potential ban on the popular Chinese-owned social media platform. The app, used by over 170 million Americans, briefly went offline last month as the deadline for the ban approached, but President Donald Trump extended the enforcement until April 5.
Trump’s executive order grants TikTok an additional 75 days to comply with a law requiring it to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban. The decision to allow the app’s return to the app stores came after Apple and Google received assurances from the Trump administration that they would not face liability for enabling downloads, as the ban would not be enforced in the interim.
The law, which passed with bipartisan support in Congress and was signed into law by former President Joe Biden, mandates that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance sell the U.S. version of the platform to a neutral third party. This move was intended to avoid the app being banned due to national security concerns, with the Biden administration warning that TikTok could be used for espionage or political manipulation. TikTok and China have denied these allegations, with Beijing previously rejecting calls for a sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations.
The bipartisan-backed law was supported by lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum and was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Despite previously supporting a ban on the app during his first term, Trump shifted his stance during his 2020 presidential campaign, praising TikTok’s popularity and claiming a “warm spot” for the app after it helped boost his social media presence.
When TikTok resumed service in the U.S., the app sent a message thanking Trump by name to its millions of users. TikTok CEO Shou Chew met with Trump in Mar-a-Lago after his electoral victory in November and later attended his inauguration. Trump has expressed interest in finding a compromise with TikTok that would align with the spirit, rather than the letter, of the law. He has suggested the possibility of joint ownership, with half of TikTok’s U.S. operations held by American entities.
Trump also mentioned potential buyers for TikTok, including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and billionaire Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Other figures reportedly interested in purchasing the app include billionaire Frank McCourt and Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary, a celebrity on the U.S. show Shark Tank. Additionally, YouTube star MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) has claimed he is in the running, following outreach from investors after expressing his interest on social media.
