The TikTok app has returned to Apple's App Store and Google Play following a brief removal, thanks to an executive order from President Donald Trump that delayed the enforcement of a potential ban.

The removal stemmed from legislation signed in April 2024 by then-President Biden, requiring ByteDance (TikTok's Chinese parent company) to sell the app to a U.S. or allied owner within 270 days or face a ban. After the Supreme Court upheld the ban, both app stores removed TikTok, but restored it within 14 hours following Trump's intervention.

Trump's executive order extends the deadline, allowing TikTok to continue operating while sale negotiations proceed. The order provides an additional 75 days for ByteDance to secure a U.S. buyer.

Current Status for Users:

• Existing users were never affected
• New users can download TikTok from both app stores
• All features remain fully operational
• ByteDance must still meet the sale deadline

Potential Impact: If ByteDance fails to sell TikTok to a U.S. buyer, the platform could face:

• Removal from app stores
• Disconnection from U.S. cloud provider Oracle
• Possible blocking by internet service providers

Trump, who previously supported a ban, has softened his stance, stating: "TikTok is largely about kids, young kids... If China is going to get information about young kids out of it, to be honest, I think we have bigger problems than that."

While TikTok's 175 million U.S. users can continue using the platform, its long-term future remains uncertain pending ByteDance's compliance with the sale requirement within the extended deadline.

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