TikTok quickly resumed services in the US after incoming President Donald Trump said he would issue an executive order to give the social media app a reprieve when he takes office today [January 20th].
On January 18th, the Chinese-owned app stopped working for its estimated 170 million American users, after a law banning it on national security grounds came into effect.
Trump, speaking on January 19th, vowed to delay implementation of the law and allow more time for a deal to be made. TikTok then said that it was in the process of “restoring service”. Soon after, the app resumed operations and a popup message to its users thanked Trump by name.
In a statement, the company thanked the incoming president for “providing the necessary clarity and assurance” and said it would work with him “on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States”.
Trump himself originated the TikTok ban in 2020. A law signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024 required ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to sell the app to a non-Chinese owner by January 19th or face a ban.