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TikTok Resumes Operations, Anticipating Help from the Trump Administration

TikTok resumes operations in the United States after President Trump signals support for the popular video sharing app.

What Happened?

Popular video sharing application TikTok is back in operation after being down for more than twelve hours because a federal ban that went into effect on January 19, 2025.

TikTok issued the following statement:

In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. 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. 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.

Why it Matters

A variety of users have reported that TikTok had been coming back online gradually but that by Monday afternoon it appeared to be working normally.

While the restoration is undoubtedly good news for TikTok and the 170 million Americans who use it, it is unclear how long the move by the Trump Administration will last. TikTok was banned by a federal law that was upheld by the Supreme Court. It is unclear whether a joint venture with the U.S. would satisfy the terms of federal law.

It also remains unclear whether proponents of the ban will withdraw their claims that TikTok represented a national security threat, which was the basis for the law banning it. Unless an American owner is found or the law is changed by Congress, the future of TikTok in the U.S. is likely to remain in limbo.

For his part President Trump has signaled support to TikTok, saying ‘Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it.’ Those comments were made Sunday, and he has also floated the idea that the U.S. will seek a joint venture to restore the app.

President Trump’s comments have also been viewed as an effort to convince platforms that host the app such as Apple and to Google to continue to provide users with access to it.

Under the current law, platforms that host the app after the ban takes effect could be fined $5,000 per person who has access after January 19th.

The move is a reversal for Mr. Trump, who supported a ban on TikTok during his first term as President.

How it Affects You

In the short term it is likely TikTok will continue to function. By executive order President Trump is expected to grant TikTok a ninety-day reprieve, though beyond that the app would only continue to work if it complied with the new federal law.

If Mr. Trump does grant TikTok an extension, it sets up a potential clash with members of the Republican Party who championed the ban.

We commend Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft for following the law and halting operations with ByteDance and TikTok, and we encourage other companies to do the same,’ Republican Senators Tom Cotton, of Arkansas, and Pete Ricketts, of Nebraska, wrote in a joint statement Sunday.

The law, after all, risks ruinous bankruptcy for any company who violates it. Now that the law has taken effect, there’s no legal basis for any kind of “extension” of its effective date.