TikTok announced that it is in the process of restoring its services to U.S. users, following a promise by President-elect Donald Trump to issue an executive order preventing the app from being banned. The announcement came after a temporary blackout on Saturday, which left many American users unable to access the popular app.

According to Fox Business, The return of TikTok in the U.S. follows Trump's plan to extend the operating period for the app through an executive order on Inauguration Day.

On Sunday, U.S.-based TikTok users reported being able to access the app again, which was accompanied by a message acknowledging the role of Trump in this development. The message read: "Welcome back! Thank you for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"

Trump's Plans to Extend TikTok Operations

Earlier on Sunday, President-elect Trump conveyed his intentions on TRUTH Social, urging companies to ensure TikTok does not remain inaccessible. He stated his intention to sign an executive order on Monday to lengthen the timeframe before the law's restrictions become effective.

Trump's post expressed a desire to avert any penalties for companies involved in maintaining TikTok's availability, stressing the need for a deal to secure national security. He emphasized that his goals included allowing Americans to witness the upcoming Inauguration Day events and future communications.

Trump is poised to officially take office as the 47th president at noon on Monday at the U.S. Capitol. However, his Sunday communication left open questions about the duration and immediate impact of the proposed extension.

Rationale Behind the Executive Order

Part of Trump's plan involves a prospective deal where the United States seeks a 50% ownership in TikTok through a joint venture. He outlined his vision for retaining the app within U.S. jurisdiction while enhancing its value significantly with American backing.

Trump articulated, "By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands, and allow it to [stay] up. Without U.S. approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions."

TikTok's policy updates account on X later confirmed its coordinated efforts with service providers to resume operations.

Background of TikTok's Legal Challenges

The resumption of TikTok comes amid legal battles and mandates for ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to sell the platform by the previous Sunday. Failure to do so would result in the app being banned under a bipartisan law signed by President Biden last spring.

On Sunday morning, a pop-up message informed users attempting to access TikTok about the app's temporary unavailability due to the enacted law. This message added, "We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!"

Court Ruling and Future Prospects for TikTok

This prior law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, citing national security threats due to the app's Chinese connections as justification. Trump had previously indicated plans to "review" the ban and implied he would likely extend the deadline by an additional 90 days.

Under the governing law, a sitting president holds the authority to extend the deadline if a credible sales process is underway, although ByteDance has historically shown reluctance to approve a sale.

Statements from TikTok and Its CEO

A statement posted to TikTok's update platform expressed gratitude towards President Trump for providing necessary assurances to service providers. It emphasized the impact of his initiatives on maintaining services for millions of Americans and small businesses.

"We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive," the statement articulated.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew also praised Trump’s commitment in a video published days earlier, indicating alignment on safeguarding the app's availability in the country. Chew described this commitment as a powerful statement for the First Amendment and a counter to arbitrary censorship.