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TikTok returned to the Apple and Google app stores in the U.S. on Thursday after President Donald Trump postponed a ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform, assuring the tech companies they wouldn’t face penalties for distributing or hosting the app.
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The widely-used short video app, which is used by nearly half of Americans, had been briefly removed last month before a law, effective January 19, required its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell the app due to national security concerns or face a ban.
The following day, Trump signed an executive order extending the enforcement of the ban by 75 days, allowing TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. for the time being.
Even though TikTok resumed operations after Trump’s assurances, both Google and Apple had kept the app removed from their U.S. app stores.
On Thursday, TikTok announced that its latest version was now available for download.
The delay may have been because Google and Apple were waiting for confirmation that they wouldn’t face legal consequences for distributing or maintaining the app, according to analysts.
Trump’s directive assured that the companies running mobile app stores wouldn’t face fines for keeping TikTok available.
TikTok saw more than 52 million downloads in 2024, according to market analysis firm Sensor Tower. About 52% of the downloads came from the Apple App Store, while 48% were from Google Play in the U.S.
A law signed by then-President Joe Biden last April mandates ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a potential ban, citing national security risks and concerns over Chinese espionage through the app.
This law gives the U.S. government broad authority to ban or demand the sale of other Chinese-owned apps. The U.S. has never previously banned a major social media platform.
Trump stated Thursday that the 75-day delay could be extended.
The uncertainty surrounding TikTok has attracted multiple potential buyers, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who is interested in acquiring the rapidly growing business, which analysts value at up to $50 billion.
Trump also mentioned that he was in discussions with several parties regarding TikTok’s future and expected a decision to be made by February.
