Shortly after TikTok’s 14-hour shutdown as a law banning the app nationwide went into effect, President-elect Donald Trump celebrated the app’s return at a rally on Sunday. Trump has promised to halt the ban when he takes office by extending a deadline for China-based ByteDance to sell the app.
As part of his three-day inauguration event on Sunday, Trump told the crowd in D.C. that “as of today, TikTok is back” and that “we have no choice, we have to save it.” He also suggested that the United States would own 50% of the company in what he called a “joint venture” that would “make a lot of money.”
Due to a federal statute requiring parent company ByteDance to sell its U.S. operation by Sunday, TikTok said that it had shut down the platform late Saturday. TikTok was also taken down from Google and Apple’s online stores. Steep fines have been authorized by the statute, which was passed in April with broad bipartisan backing.
The TikTok app was still not accessible for download in the Apple and Google app stores, despite the fact that the firm that operates the app in the United States stated on X that the actions Trump described on Sunday provide “the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties.”
Market research firm Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg stated, “It was a brilliant marketing stunt for both TikTok and incoming president Donald Trump.” “TikTok demonstrated how unpopular the ban was among its users by abruptly shutting off service.”
Though Trump sought to ban TikTok during his first term, he reversed that stance during his 2024 campaign, when he came to believe a ban would help the app’s rival, Facebook, which he held responsible, in part, to his 2020 election loss to Biden. Trump ended up joining the app last year and has grown his following to nearly 15 million users. He has since credited the app for helping him win over young voters. “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” he said during a December news conference. “TikTok had an impact.”
As TikTok’s return signals a major shift, the drama surrounding its ban and revival underscores the growing influence of social media in political and business landscapes. With Trump’s promise to save the app and his pivot towards embracing TikTok, the future of the platform in the U.S. remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: TikTok has become more than just an app—it’s a political and cultural force. How this unfolds could have lasting implications for the tech industry, users, and the broader digital landscape.
