TikTok has finally been added back to the US app stores of Google and Apple after President Donald Trump postponed the implementation of a ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform. President Donald Trump extended the ban until April 5th, making room for better negotiations.
The popular app, used by over 170 million Americans, briefly went offline in the US last month as the original ban deadline approached.
Trump then issued an executive order extending the deadline by 75 days, allowing TikTok to comply with a law mandating its sale if it is not divested from its Chinese ownership.
However, TikTok has not yet commented on the matter.
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According to Bloomberg, the decision to restore the app’s availability followed assurances from the Trump administration to Apple and Google, protecting them from liability for allowing downloads during this extension period.
The ban, passed with bipartisan support in Congress and signed into law by former President Joe Biden, requires TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the US version of the platform to a neutral party to avoid a complete prohibition.
The Biden administration had argued that TikTok posed a national security risk, potentially allowing China to engage in espionage and political manipulation.
China and TikTok have consistently denied these accusations. Beijing has also previously rejected calls for the sale of TikTok’s US operations.
While the law banning the app had broad bipartisan support in the US and was upheld by the Supreme Court, Trump’s stance on the platform appeared to evolve during the recent presidential race.
He expressed a “warm spot” for the app, highlighting the billions of views his videos garnered on the platform during his campaign.
Negotiations Between Trump And TikTok
Following his election victory in November, TikTok CEO Shou Chew met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and later attended his inauguration.
Trump has indicated his desire to find a compromise with the Chinese company that aligns with the spirit, rather than the strict letter, of the law, even suggesting joint ownership of TikTok.
“What I’m thinking of saying to someone is buy it and give half to the US, half, and we’ll give you a permit,” he stated at a recent news conference on artificial intelligence.
He also expressed openness to selling the app to Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, as well as billionaire Elon Musk, who leads the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Other names previously linked to a potential TikTok acquisition include billionaire Frank McCourt and Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary, a celebrity investor on Shark Tank, the US version of Dragon’s Den.
Jimmy Donaldson, the world’s most popular YouTuber (MrBeast), has also claimed to be a potential contender, stating that numerous investors contacted him after he expressed interest in acquiring the platform on social media.
Source: bbc
