TikTok has enjoyed a resurgence in the United States after President-elect Donald J. Trump said on Sunday he would issue an executive order delaying a federal ban on the app.
The sudden shift comes just hours after major app stores removed the popular social media site and stopped operating it for U.S. users. “TikTok is restoring services in accordance with agreements with our service providers,” the company posted on X.
Trump posted on the “Truth Social” website on Sunday morning that he would “issue an executive order on Monday extending the time this legal ban is in effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”
The ban stems from a 2024 law that requires app stores and cloud computing providers to stop distributing or hosting TikTok unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company ByteDance. Lawmakers passed the law amid concerns that the Chinese government could use the app, which has about 170 million U.S. users, to collect information about Americans or spread propaganda.
App stores and cloud computing providers that fail to comply with the law could face significant financial penalties. Trump said in a post on Sunday that he would “confirm that any company that helped prevent TikTok from shutting down prior to my order will not be held liable.”
The possibility of an executive order — and then TikTok’s stunning turn — marks a new phase in the battle over the future of an app that has reshaped the social media landscape and pop culture and created a new world for millions of influencers. People and small businesses create livelihoods.
In issuing the order, Trump will raise questions about the rule of law in the United States. His action would seek to temporarily repeal a law that passed Congress with broad bipartisan support and was unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court last week.
TikTok said in a statement, “We thank President Trump for providing our service providers with the necessary clarity and assurance that they will not be compromised for providing TikTok to more than 170 million Americans and allowing more than 7 million small businesses to thrive. face any penalties.
It’s unclear whether Trump’s efforts will be successful in the long term. His executive order could face legal challenges, including whether he has the authority to halt enforcement of federal law. Companies subject to the law may feel that the text of the order does not provide sufficient assurance that they will not be punished for violations
The law does allow the president to grant a 90-day extension if a buyer is found, but only if “significant progress” is made on a deal that puts TikTok in the hands of a non-Chinese company. The deal must also be completed within 90 days before the president can trigger an extension. Now that the law is already in effect, it’s unclear whether that extension option still exists.
In a post on Sunday, Trump floated the idea that he “would like to have 50 percent U.S. ownership in the joint venture,” but did not provide further details.
TikTok has said a sale is not possible, citing the nature of its global business, while China has said it will block the export of its most important video recommendation technology.
TikTok posted a message to users late Saturday saying the site was inaccessible but “fortunately, President Trump said he will work with us to find a solution.”
TikTok and several Democratic members of Congress have made last-ditch efforts in recent days to keep the app online. Democratic leader New York Sen. Chuck Schumer has privately told President Biden that allowing the app to shut down on his watch would harm his legacy.
Critics of TikTok are beginning to push their own efforts to get a possible ban on track. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has called some big tech companies in recent days to say they need to comply with the law, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Earlier Sunday, Cotton and Nebraska Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts praised Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft in a joint statement for complying with the law, noting that violations could lead to bankruptcy.
“Now that the law is already in effect, there is no legal basis to ‘extend’ its effective date,” they added. Only a sale would allow TikTok to continue operating.
Maggie Haberman, Karen Weiss, Sapna Maheshwari and Aaron Crolick Contributed reporting.
