A TikTok logo is displayed on an iPhone in Houston on January 17. (Ashley Landis/AP via CNN Newsource)
Google and Apple have reinstated TikTok on their U.S. app stores following a brief removal, marking another twist in the social media giant’s uncertain future. The app, owned by China’s ByteDance, was pulled due to concerns over national security but has now made a swift return.
On Thursday, Google confirmed that TikTok was once again available for download on the Play Store, while Apple also planned to restore the app later that evening. CNN verified this by successfully downloading TikTok on multiple devices.
The confusion around TikTok stems from a law signed in April last year by then-President Joe Biden. The legislation gave ByteDance 270 days to sell TikTok to a U.S.-approved owner or face a nationwide ban. With that deadline looming, the Supreme Court upheld the restrictions, causing TikTok to disappear from app stores temporarily. However, a last-minute intervention from newly elected President Donald Trump delayed enforcement of the law, allowing the app to return.
TikTok had previously experienced a 14-hour blackout in January but managed to resume operations after Trump publicly supported keeping the platform in the U.S. Despite this, many of its 175 million American users struggled to access TikTok, as Apple and Google removed it from their stores alongside other ByteDance-owned apps like Lemon8 and CapCut.
Apple explained its decision to remove TikTok complied with legal requirements, but users who had already installed the app were able to continue using it. Google took similar action but quickly restored the app once the ban was temporarily lifted.
Tech Giants Caught in the Crossfire
The ban placed significant pressure on major tech companies. Under the law, firms like Apple, Google, and Oracle—TikTok’s cloud hosting partner—would have been forced to stop supporting the app or face hefty fines. Trump, before taking office, assured that he would delay enforcement through an executive order, preventing penalties on tech companies while a new ownership deal was negotiated.
On January 19, Trump posted on Truth Social, stating his plan to extend the deadline before penalties kicked in. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to ensure a proper resolution that prioritizes national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown,” he wrote.
After being sworn in on January 20, Trump signed the executive order that same day, granting TikTok an additional 75 days to find a new U.S.-approved owner. This move temporarily relieved Apple, Google, and Oracle from liability while allowing millions of users to keep using the platform.
Trump’s Changing Stance on TikTok
Trump’s decision to support TikTok’s continued operation came as a surprise, given his previous concerns about its data security risks. When asked about his change of heart, he admitted he had used the app himself. “TikTok is mostly for young people,” he stated. “If China is collecting data on kids, honestly, we have bigger issues to worry about.”
Trump also noted that he now had the authority to either “sell it or shut it down,” leaving TikTok’s fate hanging in the balance as negotiations continue.
