TikTok's Swift Revival: Trump's Surprise Intervention

TikTok resumed services in the US after a brief halt due to a federal ban. President-elect Donald Trump plans to delay the ban's enforcement through an executive order, hinting at a potential joint venture with significant US ownership. Concerns remain about Trump's approach to existing legislation requiring divestment.

TikTok users in the United States experienced a sudden restoration of the app's services on Sunday. This development came less than a day after a federal ban led to a temporary blackout of the popular short-video platform.

At the heart of the swift action was President-elect Donald Trump. Speaking at a rally, Trump promised to roll out an executive order immediately upon taking office. The order aims to delay the enforcement of the current law, which would otherwise halt TikTok's operations for its 170 million American users.

Trump's statement included plans for a joint venture that could see significant US ownership of the app. TikTok acknowledged Trump's intervention as providing necessary 'clarity and assurance' to its service providers, facilitating the app's rapid revival. However, there remains a lingering question around Trump's strategy to reconcile his executive measures with the existing mandate signed by President Joe Biden, requiring ByteDance to divest by January 19.

(With inputs from agencies.)