TikTok Restores Service in the US After Trump Pledges to Halt Nationwide Ban

BN Web Desk

HOUSTON, Jan 20: TikTok swiftly resumed service for its millions of US users on Sunday, just a day after the popular app was temporarily taken offline following a new federal ban. The rapid reversal came after President-elect Donald Trump, in a rally speech, announced his plans to issue an executive order on his first day in office, effectively postponing the enforcement of the law that had threatened to shut down the app.

“We have to save it,” Trump said, expressing his intention to facilitate a joint venture that would secure a significant ownership stake for the US in TikTok, which is used by 170 million Americans. This move was seen as a potential resolution to the ongoing dispute over the app’s ownership, which has been a point of contention due to national security concerns.

TikTok credited Trump’s intervention with providing the necessary “clarity and assurance” to its service providers, allowing the app to resume operations without delay. The law, which was signed by President Joe Biden in April, required ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest from the app by January 19 in order to avoid a nationwide ban.

While Trump’s decision has raised hopes among TikTok’s extensive user base, questions linger regarding how his executive action will align with the existing legislation. The resolution of the matter remains uncertain, as the legal framework surrounding TikTok’s future continues to evolve.