TikTok back in US app stores as Trump holds off ban enforcement
TikTok is once again available for download in the US, after former president Donald Trump granted a 75-day extension on enforcing a law that would ban the app unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells its US operations.
TikTok’s Band‑Aid: The App Is Back in the Stores
Last month the app that ships more than 170 million videos to U.S. feeds vanished from both Apple and Google’s storefronts. The disappearance came as the original “ban deadline” rattled through the circuits of every smartphone‑owner.
Then came the big man‑hole: Donald Trump’s executive order in the middle of the night, shifting the enforcement clock to 5 April. With the promise that the giants of iOS and Android wouldn’t be held liable for letting the downloads roll in again, the app was given a fresh lease of life.
Why the U.S. Wanted to Pull the Plug
President Joe Biden originally kicked the legislation into motion with a bipartisan chorus of Congress. The government claimed TikTok might be a conduit for Beijing’s espionage and political manipulation‑again, claims that the company and the Chinese state constantly shut down.
Trump’s “Warm Spot” Turns Into a New Chapter
- Once a staunch critic, Trump flipped the script during the campaign, abuzz about the billions of views his videos racked up on the platform.
- When the app flicked back on in the U.S., users were greeted by a pop‑up thanking Trump by name.
- Shang Chew, TikTok’s CEO, had a meeting with Trump at Mar‑a‑Lago after the election, and even attended his inauguration.
Trump floated a “joint ownership” idea: a new buyer could take over TikTok and give half of it to the U.S. in return for a green light to operate domestically.
Who’s Eyeing the Deal?
- Oracle co‑founder Larry Ellison
- Billionaire Elon Musk – who also leads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency
- Billionaire Frank McCourt
- Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary
- Popular YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) – says investors reached out after he hinted at a takeover
The Countdown Is Back on
With the ban clock now a month out, the next few weeks could decide TikTok’s fate in the United States. Will a sale happen? Will a compromise crack open? For now, the millions of American users get to keep scrolling, creating, and dropping memes on the platform.
