TikTok started restoring its services on Sunday after President-elect Donald Trump announced he would reinstate the app's access in the U.S. when he takes office on Monday.

During a speech on Sunday before his inauguration, Trump stated that the United States would look for a joint venture to bring back the app that 170 million Americans use to share short videos. "Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it," he said. Messages were sent to users in the hours leading up to the rally. TikTok said, "As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S."

TikTok previously shared a statement after U.S. users reported being able to access the service's website, even though the popular TikTok app itself started to partially come back online with only a few basic features available. By Sunday evening, the app was still not available for download on U.S. app stores. 

"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service," TikTok said in the earlier statement that also thanked Trump for "providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties (for) providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive." TikTok's public expression of gratitude to Trump, just a day before he assumes office, comes during a tense period in U.S.-China relations. Trump has announced plans to impose tariffs on China but has also suggested he aims to have more direct communication with China's leader.

On Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Washington charged that the United States was repressing TikTok by abusing its unjust state power. "China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," stated a spokeswoman.

TikTok stopped working for U.S. users late Saturday, just before a law banning it for national security reasons came into effect on Sunday. U.S. officials had expressed concerns that TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, could misuse Americans' data. The president pledged 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. I would like the United States to have a 50 per cent ownership position in a joint venture," he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump stated that the executive order would ensure that companies helping to keep TikTok running before his order would not face any liability. Earlier, Trump mentioned he would likely grant TikTok a 90-day extension to delay the ban after he assumes office. TikTok referred to this in a notice shared with its users on the app. "A law banning TikTok has been passed in the U.S.

Sadly, this means TikTok cannot be used for now. However, we are optimistic as President Trump has assured us that he will collaborate with us on a solution to bring TikTok back once he takes office." "Please stay tuned," a message notified TikTok users after the app disappeared from Apple and Google app stores late Saturday. Trump's move to save TikTok marks a change from his stance during his first term.

Back in 2020, he sought to ban the app, citing concerns that the company might be sharing Americans' personal information with the Chinese government. However, Trump recently expressed a softer view, saying he has "a warm spot in my heart for TikTok" and crediting the app for helping him connect with young voters during the 2024 election. In August 2020, Trump signed an executive order giving ByteDance 90 days to sell TikTok. Later, he approved a deal that restructured the app as a partnership instead of a complete sale, with Oracle and Walmart taking stakes in the new company.

Not everyone in Trump's Republican Party agreed with efforts to get around the law and "Save TikTok". Republican senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts said in a joint statement, "Now that the law has taken effect, there is no legal basis for any kind of 'extension' of its effective date. For TikTok to come back online in the future, ByteDance must agree to a sale that satisfies the law's qualified-divestiture requirements by severing all ties between TikTok and Communist China." The U.S. has never prohibited a major social media platform before. However, a law passed by Congress with strong support grants the incoming Trump administration broad powers to ban or push for the sale of other Chinese-owned apps.

As of late Saturday, other apps owned by ByteDance, such as the video editing app CapCut and the lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and could not be found in U.S. app stores. Apple and Google have yet to respond to requests for comment. When U.S. users lost access to TikTok, searches for "VPN" surged on Google, as shown by Google Trends. On Instagram, people worried about whether they would still get the items they had purchased from TikTok Shop, the app's e-commerce platform. Meanwhile, marketing firms that depend on TikTok scrambled to come up with backup plans. One executive called it a "hair on fire" moment, after months of assuming a solution would keep the app running. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is planning to attend the U.S. presidential inauguration and join a rally with Trump on Sunday, according to a source cited by Reuters.

Several potential buyers, including Frank McCourt, the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, have shown interest in TikTok, which analysts estimate could be worth up to $50 billion. Media reports suggest that Beijing has discussed selling TikTok's U.S. operations to billionaire Elon Musk, who is a Trump ally. However, TikTok has denied these claims. Meanwhile, U.S. search engine startup Perplexity AI submitted a proposal on Saturday to ByteDance, suggesting a merger between Perplexity and TikTok's U.S. operations, according to a source familiar with the matter.

According to the source, Perplexity would combine with TikTok U.S. and form a new company by combining the two businesses with additional partners. About 60% of ByteDance is owned by institutional investors like General Atlantic and BlackRock, with the other 20% coming from the company's founders and staff. In the United States, it employs over 7,000 people.