TikTok’s US Ban: An Up-to-Date Timeline About the App’s Fate

2025 Events

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Here’s what we know so far about the TikTok ban in the US:

➡️ January 28, 2025: Microsoft in the mix as a potential TikTok buyer

Rumors have been floating around for weeks about who might buy TikTok, and Microsoft is the latest company to throw its hand into the ring. President Donald Trump told reporters that Microsoft has shown interest in possibly owning the app, but additional details haven’t been shared yet.

➡️ January 27, 2025: Perplexity AI proposes merger with TikTok

The US-based AI search engine, Perplexity AI, has made an offer to merge its company with TikTok to save the app from potentially getting banned. This is one of the only confirmed bids we’ve seen so far, alongside YouTuber MrBeast’s cash bid and Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary’s offer.

TikTok hasn’t been sold yet, but it’s clear that a lot of big names and large companies are hoping to get a piece of the action.

➡️ January 24, 2025: TikTok remains unavailable to download in app stores

TikTok was removed from app stores, including Apple and Google, before its potential ban on January 19th. However, despite Trump’s refusal to enforce the ban with his executive order, TikTok remains unavailable in the US for download. That means only existing users and businesses can access the app during this limbo period.

➡️ January 20, 2025: President Trump signs executive order to delay enforcing the TikTok ban for 75 days

On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order telling the Department of Justice to not enforce the law that states TikTok must sell or be banned. This gives TikTok and the US government more time to negotiate and discuss the app’s future, extending the deadline to April 5, 2025.

You can read more about the delay in the executive order:

“Accordingly, I am instructing the Attorney General not to take any action to enforce the Act [the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act] for a period of 75 days from today to allow my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”

➡️ January 19, 2025: TikTok comes back online in the US, thanking Trump 

After a turbulent weekend, TikTok has become available again to its 170 million US users on the day of its supposed ban. The app greeted users with a pop-up message after the blackout was reversed (after roughly half a day of going dark), thanking Trump personally for his efforts to save TikTok.

Biden’s administration made it clear it wouldn’t enforce the ban before Trump’s inauguration, with the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claiming the brief blackout was a “stunt”.

➡️ January 18, 2025: TikTok shuts down in the US ahead of deadline

In preparation for the January 19th deadline, TikTok went offline for millions of Americans with a message saying the app was “temporarily unavailable.” However, some users could still access TikTok via desktops and virtual reality devices.

Panic hit many creators and businesses, with TikTok alternatives, such as the Chinese-owned RedNote, seeing a surge in popularity. Many users and businesses also started the process of downloading existing TikTok videos to avoid losing content if the app disappears.

➡️ January 17, 2025: Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban

TikTok has run out of options with the Supreme Court ruling to uphold the divest-or-ban law. It doesn’t come as a massive surprise and Biden’s administration has said it won’t enforce the ban on his last day in office. Instead, the decision on TikTok’s fate will fall to President-Elect Trump following his inauguration.

What can Trump do to save TikTok? Trump said a “decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation.”

➡️ January 10, 2025: Supreme Court hears arguments about TikTok ban

The uncertainty over TikTok’s future continues into 2025, with the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments about the ban a week before the deadline. Unfortunately for TikTok, the only options it has left are either selling the app or hoping the Supreme Court blocks the law.

2024 Events

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You can read more about what happened with TikTok and the US government in 2024 below:

➡️ December 27, 2024: Trump seeks TikTok ban delay from Supreme Court

As we approach Trump’s inauguration in January, the President-Elect has requested a delay to the TikTok ban deadline so it’ll fall under his administration. Currently, the ban is set to take effect the day before, on Biden’s last day as President. But, can Trump really stop the ban?

➡️ December 16, 2024: TikTok CEO and President-Elect Donald Trump meet to discuss ban

President-Elect Trump has met with TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew to discuss the app’s potential US ban. Given the urgency of TikTok’s situation, the meeting makes a lot of sense, and Trump has been building relationships with various tech executives ahead of January.

➡️ December 6, 2024: DC Circuit Court of Appeals upholds TikTok ban

A three-judge panel unanimously ruled in favor of upholding the TikTok divest-or-ban law, leaving TikTok with very few options left. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals said the bill is constitutional, meaning the January 19th deadline remains in place.

➡️ September 16, 2024: TikTok makes case to DC Circuit Court of Appeals

TikTok has pleaded its case against the divest-or-ban law, sharing oral arguments with a panel of judges on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. The judges will either rule in TikTok’s favor and dismiss the bill, or TikTok’s deadline to sell will remain in place.

➡️ June 20, 2024: TikTok files First Amendment case against divest-or-ban law

One of TikTok’s primary arguments against its potential US ban is that the bill violates the First Amendment. Despite TikTok wanting to protect free speech for its millions of US users, the US government argues the app is a threat to national security.

➡️ June 3, 2024: Trump joins TikTok during Presidential campaign

Donald Trump joined TikTok in an attempt to reach more voters during his campaign. During his previous term as President, Trump initiated the TikTok ban due to its Chinese ownership, but has since reversed his position and feelings towards the app.

➡️ May 7, 2024: TikTok sues US government over ban

In an effort to combat the proposed US divest-or-ban law, TikTok has sued the US government for targeting the app with such an extreme case. Several TikTok creators have also submitted a similar lawsuit, claiming the proposed ban goes against their First Amendment rights.

➡️ April 24, 2024: President Biden signs TikTok ban bill

The Senate ruled in favor of the TikTok bill, passing it along to President Biden who signed the divest-or-ban bill into law as part of a foreign aid package. This means TikTok must sell the company before January 2025, or risk a US ban.

➡️ March 13, 2024: TikTok ban bill passes from the House to the Senate

The TikTok ban is speeding through the US government, with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act passing in the House of Representatives. TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, has reached out to the app’s users and creators to share their outrage at the potential ban. However, the bill now moves on to the Senate.

2023 Events

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All of the key TikTok updates from 2023 are listed below:

➡️ March 23, 2023: TikTok CEO testifies before Congress in ban hearing

TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, spoke in front of the US Congress for the first time to defend the app against the proposed ban. Questions were varied and seemed pretty biased against TikTok from the get-go, discussing safety and security for US users. Chew defended TikTok’s Chinese ownership in particular:

“I don’t think ownership is the issue here. With a lot of respect, American social companies don’t have a good track record with data privacy and user security. Just look at Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, for one example.”

➡️ March 7, 2023: Congress introduces TikTok ban bill

Senator Mark Warner introduced the bipartisan bill to Congress, bringing the likelihood of a TikTok ban in the US one step closer. Though the bill doesn’t specifically mention TikTok, it does target apps – or foreign technologies and companies – that threaten national security. Something many are quick to attribute to TikTok.

2022 Events

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All of the key TikTok updates from 2022 are listed below:

➡️ December 28, 2022: TikTok banned on US House of Representatives mobile devices

The US House of Representatives has issued a ban on the use of TikTok on government phones due to the uncertainty over TikTok’s customer data protection measures and ties with ByteDance, its Chinese parent company. Any mobile device provided by the House can also no longer download the app.

The US isn’t the first government or country to ban TikTok on official devices.

2021 Events

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All of the key TikTok updates from 2021 are listed below:

➡️ June 9, 2021: President Biden erases Trump’s TikTok ban with executive order

President Biden issued an executive order to overturn Trump’s blanket ban on foreign apps, like TikTok, that risk national security. However, this doesn’t get TikTok off the hook. In fact, Biden simply wants to gather further information and spend more time evaluating foreign-owned apps to see if they really are a threat.

2020 Events

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All of the key TikTok updates from 2020 are listed below:

➡️ November 7, 2020: Second federal judge blocks TikTok ban

A second federal judge has blocked President Trump’s attempt to ban TikTok across America because of a national security threat. However, District Judge Carl Nichols – appointed by Trump – ruled that it’s unlawful for Trump to target TikTok in this manner.

➡️ October 30, 2020: Federal judge blocks Trump’s executive order

President Trump’s TikTok ban hit a wall after a federal judge in Pennsylvania stopped the executive order from going ahead. Legal negotiations are still ongoing, so this allows conversations to continue without fear of a ban.

➡️ August 6, 2020: Trump issues executive order to ban TikTok in the US

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban TikTok in the US due to fears that the Chinese Communist Party is using the app to gather American data and censor free speech.