New York
CNN
 — 

On Thursday, Google Play announced the reinstatement of TikTok in the US app store, following commitments made by President Donald Trump to preserve the application and an executive measure that postponed a potential ban on the immensely popular social media service.

Reports from Bloomberg and CNBC indicated that Apple would also restore TikTok to its app store on Thursday evening. By that time, CNN confirmed that the app was once again available on various devices.

The app’s precarious position originated from legislation enacted last April by former President Joe Biden, which mandated that China’s ByteDance must divest TikTok to an American or allied company within 270 days to avert a ban due to national security issues. Only a day before the order was to take effect, the Supreme Court affirmed the ban.

In January, TikTok experienced a shutdown lasting approximately 14 hours, but made a swift comeback thanks to assurances from then president-elect Donald Trump regarding the platform’s continuity in the United States.

However, users, numbering around 175 million, faced a challenge as the app remained inaccessible on both the Apple and Google Play stores, alongside other TikTok-affiliated platforms like Lemon8 and CapCut, owned by ByteDance.

Previously, Apple stated it removed TikTok from the app store due to the ban, but users who had already downloaded the app were still able to access it.

Prior to taking office, Trump indicated he would issue an executive action to delay the implementation of the ban, crediting his administration for TikTok’s ability to resume operations in the US.

“On Monday, I will be signing an executive order to prolong the time frame before the law’s restrictions take effect, enabling us to negotiate a deal that ensures our national security,” Trump shared in a post on Truth Social on January 19. He also noted that his directive would not penalize TikTok’s technical partners—Apple, Google, and cloud computing giant Oracle—for continuing to offer the app until the order was enacted.

The law stipulated that TikTok’s technology partners—including Oracle, responsible for hosting TikTok’s content in the US, as well as Apple and Google—were required to suspend support for the app, or risk fines of up to $5,000 per individual with access to the platform starting Sunday.

Trump assumed office on January 20, signing the executive order that same day, which granted TikTok an additional 75 days to seek a new owner.

This initiative aimed to ensure the Trump administration could “methodically assess the best path forward to safeguard national security while preventing a sudden cessation of a widely-used communication platform.”

Trump expressed to the press that his change of heart regarding TikTok occurred after he “had a chance to use it.”

“And let’s not forget, TikTok primarily caters to younger audiences,” Trump remarked in the Oval Office when questioned about his shift in perspective. “If China is obtaining information about young children, frankly, I believe we have larger issues to contend with.”

Furthermore, he asserted that the action he endorsed concerning TikTok empowered him with the authority to either “sell or shut it down.”

“I have the authority to either sell or shut it down, and we’ll make that decision,” Trump concluded.