TikTok is once again available for download in the U.S. after former President Donald Trump delayed enforcement of a ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform until April 5.
The app, which boasts over 170 million American users, briefly went dark last month as the initial ban deadline loomed. However, Trump later signed an executive order granting TikTok a 75-day extension to comply with a law that requires its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations or face an outright ban.
Why Is TikTok Back on App Stores?
According to Bloomberg, the decision to reinstate TikTok on Apple and Google app stores followed assurances from the Trump administration that the ban would not be enforced yet, and that the tech companies would not be held liable for allowing downloads.
The ban itself was passed with bipartisan support in Congress and signed into law by former President Joe Biden. U.S. lawmakers argued that TikTok posed national security risks, warning that the Chinese government could use the platform for espionage or political influence.
Both TikTok and Beijing have repeatedly denied these accusations, with China rejecting calls for a forced sale of the app’s U.S. operations. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the ban, reinforcing pressure on ByteDance to divest its American business.
Trump’s Changing Stance on TikTok
During his first term, Trump supported banning TikTok outright, citing security concerns. However, his stance appeared to shift in the past year.
Expressing a “warm spot” for the app, he touted the billions of views his campaign content received on the platform. After securing re-election, TikTok’s U.S. users received a pop-up notification thanking Trump by name when the app resumed service.
Following his November victory, TikTok CEO Shou Chew met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and later attended his inauguration. Trump has since suggested finding a “compromise” that satisfies national security concerns without fully divesting TikTok from ByteDance.
“What I’m thinking of saying to someone is buy it and give half to the U.S., half, and we’ll give you a permit,” Trump said at a recent press conference on artificial intelligence.
Who Could Buy TikTok?
With the ban still looming, speculation is mounting over potential buyers. Trump has mentioned Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and billionaire Elon Musk as possible contenders.
Other names floated include billionaire Frank McCourt, Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary, and even YouTube megastar Jimmy Donaldson—better known as MrBeast. Donaldson recently revealed that investors approached him after he expressed interest in acquiring the platform.
While the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain, the app’s brief disappearance and reappearance underscore the ongoing political and legal battles over its ownership and national security implications.
For now, TikTok users can continue scrolling—but the clock is still ticking.
