TikTok shouts out Trump as app blacks out for millions of users across US
Tech analyst and founder of ‘The Media Copilot’ Pete Pachal joins ‘Mornings with Maria’ to discuss President-elect Trump asking the Supreme Court to stop the TikTok ban and his AI-focused administration in his second term.
TikTok went dark for users across the US late Saturday as the app notified users of a ban that went into effect just days before President-elect Trump’s inauguration.
Users who tried to use the app on Saturday night received the following message: “Sorry, TikTok is not available right now. The law banning TikTok has been passed in the US Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok right now.”
The app flagged Trump, saying: “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to restore TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Hours earlier, the app informed users that the ban on TikTok would go into effect on Sunday.
Leadership noted that the ban would “force” the company to make its services “temporarily unavailable.”
TikTok informed users on Saturday that it is no longer available due to the ban imposed in the US, while saying that President-elect Trump will work on a solution. (TikTok / Fox News)
Screenshot of TikTok app update, Saturday. (Fox News Digital / Fox News)
“We are working to restore our service in the US as soon as possible, and we appreciate your support,” the statement read. “Please stay tuned.”
Social media said it will be “dark” on Sunday without a “definitive” statement from the Biden administration.
“The statements issued today by the Biden White House and the Department of Justice failed to provide the necessary clarity and certainty to service providers essential to maintaining the availability of TikTok to more than 170 million Americans,” TikTok said in a statement sent to X.
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The TikTok app logo is displayed on the iPhone. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis / AP Newsroom)
The White House said this week that Biden did not plan to enforce the ban, that it would be up to Trump, who takes office on Monday.
The US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a bipartisan law passed last year to shut down TikTok unless Chinese subsidiary ByteDance sells it on Sunday, citing national security risks from its relationship with China, Fox News Digital reported.
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Trump said he needs to “review” the ban before making a decision, and that he “might” give TikTok a 90-day extension from the January 19 deadline after taking office.
Trump said he “might” give TikTok a 90-day extension. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew thanked Trump in a video Friday for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States. This is a strong First Amendment move and resists illegal censorship.”
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During the presidential campaign, Trump said he would “never ban TikTok” after joining the platform, but he led calls for a ban during his first term in office.
Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
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