After Trump’s Statement of Support, TikTok Resumes Normal Service

TikTok announced Sunday that it was restoring service in the U.S. after briefly going offline on Saturday in response to new legislation targeting its Chinese ownership. The law mandates TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to fully divest its stake or face a nationwide ban, signaling a strong stance on protecting American data and national security.

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company stated. It credited President Trump for providing clarity and assurances to service providers that they would not face penalties for keeping the platform online, claiming this move benefits over 170 million users and 7 million small businesses.

While TikTok framed the issue as one of “First Amendment” rights and “arbitrary censorship,” the core concern remains the platform’s data-harvesting practices. These practices have raised alarms about how the information could be exploited by the Chinese Communist Party to manipulate American public opinion and behavior.

President Trump, who initiated efforts to ban TikTok during his first term, reinforced his commitment to protecting U.S. security while providing a temporary solution to avoid immediate disruption.

“I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security,” Trump announced on Truth Social. “The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”

Trump also proposed a groundbreaking solution: the U.S. would own 50% of TikTok, leaving ByteDance with the remaining half. While controversial, the proposal reflects his focus on ensuring American control over critical digital platforms without eliminating user access.

Even with Trump’s executive order, specific conditions must be met for a 90-day extension:

• A qualified divestiture path must be identified to transition ownership away from ByteDance.

• Evidence of significant progress toward the divestiture must be produced.

• Binding legal agreements must be in place to guarantee compliance during the extension.

These conditions ensure any delay serves the purpose of advancing national security, not stalling action.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR) criticized TikTok’s deflection of accountability, warning companies of the severe financial and legal consequences of enabling the Chinese-controlled platform. “Any company that facilitates TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law,” Cotton stated on X.

Trump’s move to allow a temporary extension while pressing for U.S.-centric ownership demonstrates his strategic approach to safeguarding the nation’s interests. By addressing security concerns without immediate disruption to users and businesses, he balances decisive action with pragmatic solutions.

As the clock ticks on TikTok’s compliance, this episode highlights the stakes in maintaining America’s digital sovereignty against foreign influence.

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