TikTok Is ‘Restored’ For Americans After Donald Trump ‘Provided Clarity’

The TikTok ban lasted less than 24 hours for Americans, thanks to President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn into office Monday.

In a statement shared on X, formerly Twitter, TikTok said Sunday that they were “in the process of restoring service” to app users.

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” TikTok said in a post on X. “We thank President 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.”

The company added: “It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”

Though millions of TikTok users prepared to say goodbye to the Chinese-owned app on Sunday, Trump said the popular video-sharing platform could be back up in the U.S. by Monday, for at least a 90-day window.

“The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate,” Trump said in an interview Saturday with NBC News. “If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.”

With Trump’s inauguration day on Monday, Jan. 20 — one day after Congress’s Jan. 19 deadline for Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell or cease U.S. operations — millions of TikTokkers, many of whom who say they rely on TikTok for their livelihoods, prayed for a Hail Mary. Some users even scurried to post their last videos, sharing long-held secrets online before the app briefly went dark. 

Trump’s indication that he’ll lift the ban, at least temporarily, is the latest in a long national discussion about the threat posed by the Chinese-backed app. The ban comes after years of concerns by lawmakers and U.S. officials about the security risk posed if the Chinese government uses their access to U.S. users’ private information to spread Chinese-backed disinformation. 

The law allowing the president to delay the ban requires proof that strides are being made to transfer ownership of the Chinese-owned app to a U.S.-owned company. While no sale is imminent, Chinese officials have considered selling TikTok to billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk.

Under the ban, the app will remain in the hands of existing users, but experts say new users won’t be able to access the platform. Further, app updates will be unavailable to existing users, rendering TikTok unusable, according to the Justice Department. 

Relied on heavily by top social media influencers like Hailey Bieber, TikTok took its place on the international stage in 2016, quickly becoming a top source of online entertainment for its use of popular songs, short attention-grabbing video content, and a robust algorithm that personalizes the viewer’s experience. 

A 2024 report found the average TikToker, typically a younger demographic, spends over 34 hours—almost one and a half days—on the app every month. That’s more than any other platform, including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew has met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home over the past few weeks and will likely attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday. 

Trump was a vocal supporter of the move to shut down TikTok during his first term.