TikTok has once again become available for download on both Apple and Google app stores in the U.S., following assurances from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that an immediate ban would not be enforced.

The social media platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance and boasting 170 million American users, had been temporarily unavailable due to national security concerns.

In an official statement, TikTok declared, "The TikTok app is now available for download from the App Store and Google Play. Our US users can download the latest version of our app and continue to create, discover, and share what they love on TikTok."

This development comes after a brief shutdown of the app's services, which lasted approximately 14 hours. Despite the temporary unavailability, TikTok has reportedly managed to retain about 90% of its U.S. user traffic, according Cloudflare Radar.

The controversy surrounding TikTok started when a law effective January 19 mandated ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban on national security grounds. On his first day in office, January 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order delaying the ban by 75 days to reassess the situation.

On Thursday, President Trump hinted at possibly extending this delay, stating, "I don't think it will be necessary," but expressed his ongoing interest in negotiating a deal that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. He even suggested in earlier comments that the U.S. should own "half" of TikTok. Furthermore, Trump credits TikTok with aiding his victory in the 2024 presidential election, comments made during a recent Oval Office session with reporters.

The reinstatement of TikTok on app stores has thus temporarily alleviated concerns for its millions of users, while the future of the app in the U.S. remains a subject of ongoing political negotiation and scrutiny. (ILKHA)