TikTok has officially resumed its services in the United States after a brief shutdown that left millions of users without access.
The company announced that it is “in the process of restoring service,” attributing the resolution to President Trump for providing “the necessary clarity” to continue operations.
Late Saturday night, US-based TikTok users were greeted with a message stating that the app’s services were “temporarily unavailable” as the federal ban was about to take effect. However, by midday Sunday, services were progressively restored both on the mobile app and the web platform. Upon reopening the app, users were met with a welcoming message thanking Trump for facilitating the platform’s return: “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
President Trump revealed plans to issue an executive order extending the timeline for TikTok to secure a sale or restructure under a joint venture. According to NPR and The Washington Post, TikTok’s hosting provider Oracle and content delivery partner Akamai resumed services based on Trump’s assurances that penalties would not apply. Despite these developments, the app remains unavailable on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store due to lingering legal risks.
TikTok is already communicating with advertisers about its partial comeback. In a memo issued Sunday, the platform assured that services would soon be accessible to the majority of US users, albeit with some limitations on live campaigns. Meanwhile, the legal uncertainties surrounding the ban have fueled ongoing debates. TikTok lost a Supreme Court case on Friday, cementing the ban’s implementation, but the Biden administration has deferred enforcement, leaving the future of the platform’s US operations unclear.
Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns over TikTok’s attempts to circumvent the ban, questioning the legal grounds for extending the sale deadline. Senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts issued a statement urging tech companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon to comply with the law, warning that companies aiding TikTok could face significant financial penalties.
For now, TikTok’s partial return raises questions about the status of other apps linked to ByteDance, such as CapCut and Marvel Snap, which also remain unavailable. While TikTok has reiterated its commitment to working with the US government on a long-term solution, the ongoing legal and political challenges signal that the debate over the app’s future is far from over.
