TikTok Restores U.S. Services Following Trump's Promise to Pause Ban

What Happened?

Popular video-sharing media platform TikTok and its services have been restored in the U.S. after temporarily shutting down amid a federal law banning the app nationwide.

The announcement comes after President Donald Trump took to Truth Social Sunday morning to state he will extend the period before the law’s prohibitions take effect through an executive order on Monday.

Trump said the effort is 'so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.'

TikTok called the action 'a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.'

On Sunday, TikTok said in an online statement, '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.'

TikTok added that they'll work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the U.S.

Trump has reportedly suggested that an American buyer should purchase half of TikTok in a 50-50 joint venture partnership.

China-based parent company ByteDance has strongly resisted the idea of a sale to remain operative in the U.S., as required by the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

The bipartisan measure passed by Congress majorities last April stated that the ownership of TikTok by China-based parent company ByteDance posed a national security risk.

The measure was then later signed into law by former President Joe Biden.

On Friday, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the law to ban the app in a 27-page unsigned opinion while acknowledging the effects a shutdown would have on more than 170 million American TikTok users.

TikTok confirmed late Friday in a statement that it planned to go dark Sunday unless the Biden administration intervened.

Why it Matters

The app was still unavailable to download primarily from the app stores of online services such as Apple and Google on Monday.

According to the law, the president was allowed to grant a 90-day extension before the ban was enforced under certain criteria.

Some legal experts have reportedly weighed the argument if Trump's proposed action would hold up following Friday's Supreme Court decision.

In addition to the statute coming into effect the day before Trump's return to the White House.

The law also includes a 20% cap for 'foreign adversary' owners.

Former President Biden and the Trump administration have reversed earlier positions on TikTok to support finding a resolution.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer previously expressed that the security risks that TikTok presents under current ownership cannot be ignored.

Some offers for TikTok have been made by U.S. investors as analysts have reportedly estimated $40 billion to $50 billion as the likely asking price.

That figure could very well change however under a partial-ownership agreement should one be reached as a U.S. operating resolution.

How it Affects You

Over one million content creators await a finalized measure of the outcome of TikTok operations in the U.S.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, who attended Monday's presidential inauguration, may shock many and change course to allow TikTok to remain effective nationwide for its millions of users.

It’s still unclear if the proposed 50-50 venture solution would satisfy Congress members, even if ByteDance would agree, amid the concerns of TikTok still having foreign control.