Trump remains confident a deal can be made resulting in a U.S. buyer for the video-sharing platform.
TikTok returned to mobile app stores in the United States on Thursday, after President Donald Trump postponed enforcement of a ban on his first day office.
Apple and Google Play restored the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing platform, allowing users to purchase and download the app on their mobile devices.
This comes on the same day that Trump said he could extend his 75-day delay in enforcing a ban on the app that was imposed under the Biden administration.
However, Trump told the media at the White House that he didn’t think an extension would be necessary.
Trump said he believed Chinese leader Xi Jinping would agree to approve the sale of TikTok to a U.S. buyer as it would also be in China’s interest.
12 hours Offline
On Jan. 19, the popular video-sharing app went dark in the United States for 12 hours in response to a federal ban imposed under then President Joe Biden.
The app was banned over concerns that the social media platform collects sensitive data and information on Americans.
The ban made distributing the app through the Apple App and Google Play stores illegal.
Trump delayed the ban once he assumed office on Jan. 20, saying he wanted to give TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, more time to find an approved buyer before the ban took full effect.
The president at the time said he intended to protect the country’s national security while also “saving” a platform used by 170 million Americans.
Trump also credited TikTok for helping him accrue support among young voters during the 2024 presidential election.
Trump’s executive order directs the attorney general not to take any action for 75 days—that is, until April 5—to allow the appropriate course of action.
TikTok thanked Trump for “providing the necessary clarity” to service providers that they would not face penalties during the delay period.
According to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, TikTok was the second most downloaded app in the United States, with more than 52 million downloads in 2024. About 52 percent of TikTok’s total downloads were from Apple App Store, while 48 percent were from Google Play in the United States last year, Sensor Tower said.
