Honestly, if you’d asked anyone back in 2020 if Donald Trump and TikTok would ever be on the same team, they’d have laughed in your face. It was a whole different world then. Back then, Trump was the one leading the charge to wipe the app off American phones, citing "national security" threats and data privacy. Fast forward to now, and the guy is basically the app's biggest protector in the White House. It’s been a wild ride.
The whiplash is real.
We went from executive orders meant to kill the platform to a series of 2025 extensions that keep it on life support. Most people are still trying to figure out if this is about young voters, a beef with Mark Zuckerberg, or a billionaire donor named Jeff Yass.
Basically, the "ban" that Congress passed with such a big, bipartisan flourish has become a suggestion rather than a law.
The 2020 Grudge vs. The 2024 Rebrand
It's weird to remember, but Trump actually started this whole mess. In August 2020, he signed an executive order that was supposed to force ByteDance (TikTok's parent company) to sell or get out. He was convinced—and a lot of intelligence folks agreed—that the Chinese government could use the app to spy on us.
Then things got messy.
Courts blocked him. The Biden administration came in and hit the "reset" button. But then, in a weird twist of fate, it was Joe Biden who actually signed the 2024 law that gave TikTok a hard deadline to sell by January 19, 2025.
But here is where the story takes a turn.
During the 2024 campaign, Trump realized something. TikTok isn't just a dance app; it's where the voters are. He joined the platform in June 2024—the same app he tried to kill—and instantly racked up millions of followers. Suddenly, he was calling TikTok a "great platform" and warning that banning it would only help Facebook, which he famously calls the "enemy of the people."
Why the Ban Is Currently Stuck in Limbo
So, what happened on January 20, 2025? That was the big day. Trump took office, and the "ban" was legally supposed to kick in because ByteDance hadn't sold. Instead of pulling the plug, Trump signed an executive order on day one to delay enforcement for 75 days.
He didn't stop there.
Since then, we've seen extension after extension. As of right now, in early 2026, he’s issued four of them. The latest one, signed in September 2025, pushed the deadline way out to December.
- The Voter Logic: He knows Gen Z loves the app. Taking it away would be political suicide for the 2026 midterms.
- The Meta Factor: Trump genuinely hates Meta. He blames Zuckerberg for 2020 and doesn't want to give Facebook a monopoly on short-form video.
- The "Dealmaker" Strategy: He keeps saying he wants to broker a "historic deal" to save it, but so far, nothing has actually happened.
The Money and the "Yass" Factor
You can't talk about Donald Trump and TikTok without mentioning the money. It's just not possible. Jeff Yass, a billionaire who owns a massive 15% stake in ByteDance, has become a major player here. Reports show he funneled about $16 million into Trump-aligned PACs right around the time the "flip-flop" on the ban started to happen.
Is it a coincidence? Maybe. But in Washington, $16 million usually buys you at least a conversation.
The White House insists these delays are about "national security negotiations," but critics in Congress are getting restless. They passed a law. They expected it to be followed. Instead, they're watching a president use executive power to ignore the very deadline they wrote into the books.
Is TikTok Actually Safe Now?
Sorta. But not really.
The app is still in a legal "gray zone." It’s still on the App Store, and you can still scroll through your FYP without an issue. However, the underlying law hasn't disappeared. Trump is essentially holding the "off" switch but refusing to flip it.
If you're a creator or a business owner relying on the platform, you've probably been stressed for two years straight. One day it’s "going away," the next day it’s "here to stay."
What This Means for You
If you’re trying to navigate the Donald Trump and TikTok saga for your business or personal use, here is the reality: the app isn't going anywhere tomorrow, but it’s also not "safe" in the long term.
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- Don't put all your eggs in one basket. If you're a creator, make sure you're mirroring your content on YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels. The "ban" is on hold, but a single bad news cycle or a breakdown in negotiations could change that.
- Watch the 2026 midterms. The closer we get to the elections, the less likely Trump is to actually enforce a ban. He needs the digital reach.
- Keep an eye on the courts. While the Supreme Court upheld the law itself, the fight now is over whether the President actually has the authority to keep extending the deadline indefinitely.
The drama isn't over. It’s just moved from a "will they, won't they" ban into a "how long can we stall this" phase. For now, just keep scrolling, but keep your backup plan ready.