TikTok Resumes Services to 170 Million US Users After Trump Pledges Reprieve

TikTok is restoring its services to its 170 million US users after President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to provide the app a temporary reprieve when he takes office on Monday.

On Sunday, the Chinese-owned app went offline for American users, following concerns that user data could be accessed by Chinese authorities.

In a statement, TikTok confirmed it was “restoring service” just hours after its US operations were disrupted. The company expressed gratitude to Trump for “providing the necessary clarity and assurance” and pledged to collaborate on a “long-term solution” to keep the app operational in the US.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump urged companies not to let TikTok remain inaccessible, stating, “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”

TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, had previously defied a law requiring the sale of its US operations to avoid a ban. That law, upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday, took effect on Sunday, barring the app from app stores and web-hosting platforms.

The app remains a cultural and political force in the US, with millions of users and significant value as a tool for political campaigns to connect with younger voters. While Trump once supported banning TikTok, he has recently acknowledged a “warm spot” for the app, citing the billions of views his campaign videos attracted during the last presidential race.

TikTok argues the law violates users’ free speech rights and continues to fight its implementation.