Google Play has reinstated TikTok in the US app store after President Donald Trump assured the app’s safety and issued an executive action that postponed a potential ban. Reports from Bloomberg and CNBC indicate that Apple will also restore TikTok on the same day. According to CNN, users can now download TikTok again across different devices.
The app’s turbulence is linked to a law signed by President Joe Biden last April, demanding ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, sell the app within 270 days to avert a ban, citing national security concerns. Just prior to the ban’s enforcement, the Supreme Court upheld it, though TikTok briefly shut down in January, claiming its quick return was due to Trump’s promises to maintain its operation.
While the app was not available in the stores for new downloads, existing users still accessed it. Trump stated plans to delay any prohibitions to negotiate a secure deal for the platform. He indicated that he would not hold technology partners, including Apple and Google, accountable for continuing to support TikTok. With Trump now in office, his executive order allowed an additional 75 days for the app to find a US-based owner while aiming to safeguard millions of American users and avoid an abrupt shutdown.