TikTok’s U.S. comeback: Trump’s bold move to delay federal ban

World news: TikTok restored services for its U.S. users on Sunday afternoon after President-elect Donald Trump said he would delay the federal ban on the app when he assumes office on January 20. The popular short-video platform had been shut down briefly over "national security concerns." The order also mandated that TikTok's China-based parent company, Bytedance, divest its U.S. operations. However, provisions allowed for a 90-day extension if a sale was in progress. Trump said he was willing to give the company more time to comply with federal regulations. "I want the United States to hold a 50 percent ownership position in a joint venture," Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social. He said TikTok's value could eventually soar to "hundreds of billions of dollars—maybe trillions."

Trump's changing stance on TikTok

During his first term, Trump was a strong supporter of banning TikTok, saying it posed a national security threat because of its association with Bytedance. His previous orders were blocked by the courts. However, it seems that Trump's stance has changed, and this may be because of TikTok's influence on younger voters during his last presidential campaign.

In response, TikTok responded to Trump with a statement and said that service was being "restored". The company appreciated Trump for reassuring the world that service providers are not penalized for enabling service to TikTok in the US. "Thanks to President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!", read its message to its users.

Troubles ahead

Despite the restored services, the application was unavailable on Google Play and Apple's App Store Sunday. Uncertainty surrounded Trump's promise as the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ban unanimously just days ago. The order had already been implemented before the assurances by Trump, leaving much ambiguity about whether it would still be implemented in the future.