TikTok has returned to Apple and Google app stores in the US after President Donald Trump postponed enforcement of a ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform until April 5.
The popular app, with over 170 million American users, briefly disappeared from US app stores last month as the ban deadline loomed. However, Trump signed an executive order granting TikTok a 75-day extension to comply with a law requiring its sale to a neutral party or face prohibition.
TikTok has yet to comment on its reinstatement. According to Bloomberg, the app’s return was facilitated after Apple and Google received assurances from the Trump administration that they would not be held liable for allowing downloads and that the ban would not yet be enforced.
The law banning TikTok, which passed with bipartisan support in Congress, was signed by former President Joe Biden. His administration argued that the app posed a national security threat, citing concerns that it could be used by China for surveillance and political influence. Beijing and TikTok have repeatedly denied these allegations, and China has rejected calls to force a sale of TikTok’s US operations.
The law was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court, and Trump, who previously supported banning the app during his first term, has since expressed a softer stance. Last year, during his presidential campaign, he acknowledged having a “warm spot” for TikTok, highlighting the billions of views his videos received on the platform.
When TikTok resumed operations in the US, a message was sent to users thanking Trump by name. TikTok CEO Shou Chew later met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago following his electoral victory in November and attended his inauguration ceremony.
Trump has signaled a willingness to find a compromise with ByteDance, suggesting a deal that aligns with the “spirit rather than the letter” of the law. He has even floated the idea of TikTok being jointly owned, stating, “What I’m thinking of saying to someone is buy it and give half to the US, and we’ll give you a permit.”
Among the potential buyers, Trump has mentioned Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and billionaire Elon Musk, who leads the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. Other names linked to a possible acquisition include billionaire Frank McCourt, Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary—known from Shark Tank—and even YouTube sensation Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast. Donaldson has claimed interest in the deal after investors reached out to him following a social media post expressing his willingness to buy TikTok.
As negotiations continue, the future of TikTok in the US remains uncertain, with political and business interests intertwining in a high-stakes battle over the platform’s ownership.
