TikTok has made its return to the US app stores of Apple and Google, following a delay in the enforcement of a ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform. President Donald Trump postponed the ban deadline until April 5, 2025, giving TikTok more time to comply with US regulations.
The popular app, which boasts over 170 million American users, had briefly disappeared from US app stores as the initial ban deadline loomed. However, Trump’s executive order granted TikTok an additional 75 days to resolve the situation by either selling its US operations or facing a ban.
Bloomberg first reported that Apple and Google were able to resume offering TikTok after receiving assurances from the Trump administration. These assurances confirmed that the companies would not be held liable for facilitating downloads while the ban remains on hold.
The law, which passed with bipartisan support in Congress and was signed into law by former President Joe Biden, mandates that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, sell its US version of the app to a neutral party to avoid a permanent ban. The Biden administration has raised concerns about potential data security risks, arguing that TikTok could be used for espionage or political manipulation by the Chinese government—accusations that both TikTok and China have consistently denied.
Trump, who initially pushed for TikTok’s ban during his presidency, later expressed a “warm spot” for the app after seeing the massive popularity of his campaign videos on the platform. He has suggested a potential compromise, such as allowing TikTok to be jointly owned by US entities, and has even floated the idea of selling the app to figures like Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison or tech mogul Elon Musk.
Other names in the running for a potential purchase of TikTok’s US operations include billionaire Frank McCourt and investor Kevin O’Leary. Even YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has shown interest, revealing that he has been contacted by investors about the possibility of buying the platform.
As the situation develops, the legal battle over TikTok’s future in the US is far from over, and it remains to be seen what path the app will take in order to comply with US law.
