The US TikTok ban lasted for just two days after President-elect Donald Trump stepped in and said he’d reinstate it.
The app shut down for its 170 million US users on Saturday after a Supreme Court ruling upheld a law banning the app over security concerns.
The return follows rumours the app’s owner ByteDance was looking to sell to the billionaire Elon Musk, a move it strongly denied.
What changed?
- The ban, passed in April, required TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations or face removal from app stores.
- The Supreme Court upheld the law on Friday, prompting TikTok to go offline Saturday evening.
- Trump, who previously supported the ban, changed course and promised to extend the deadline for negotiations.
- TikTok thanked Trump for his intervention and stated it was working on a “long-term solution” to stay in the US
- A pop-up message on the app acknowledged Trump’s role in the decision.
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Legal and Political Fallout
However, TikTok’s resurgence could be short-lived.
Trump’s ability to delay an active law is legally questionable. While an executive order could influence enforcement, legal experts argue that courts might challenge it.
- Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar emphasized in Supreme Court hearings an executive order cannot override an existing law.
- Professor Carl Tobias of the University of Richmond noted the law allows for a 90-day delay if the company shows progress on security concerns.
- Trump’s administration may argue that negotiations with ByteDance justify this postponement.
Republican Divisions
Trump’s intervention exposed disagreements within his party.
- Senator Tom Cotton warned that companies assisting TikTok could face “ruinous liability.”
- Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for Secretary of State, had previously supported the ban but deferred to Trump’s decision.
- Bipartisan lawmakers originally backed the ban, citing security risks linked to China’s Communist Party.
Impact on Tech and Business
TikTok is currently available again for existing users, but it remains unclear whether Apple and Google will reinstate it in their app stores.
- Trump pledged legal protections for companies aiding TikTok’s continued U.S. presence.
- If the app is re-listed, states could still enforce local bans, adding another layer of uncertainty.
- The ban had forced TikTok off web-hosting services, complicating its full return.
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TikTok’s Role in US Politics
Despite its legal battles, TikTok remains a vital platform for political outreach, especially among young voters. Trump’s campaign leveraged the app for billions of views in 2023.
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What’s Next?
The situation remains fluid. If Trump signs the executive order as promised, it could temporarily protect TikTok. However, legal challenges are likely, and Congress may need to step in to determine a long-term resolution.
For now, TikTok users in the US can continue scrolling—but the platform’s future remains uncertain.
