TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LIFTS FEDERAL BAN ON TIKTOK FOR GOVERNMENT DEVICES

The Trump administration has lifted a ban on federal employees using TikTok on government devices, according to a memo from the Office of Management and Budget released on Tuesday. The original prohibition was introduced in 2022 under the Biden administration, which classified TikTok as a national security threat owing to potential ties between the app's parent company ByteDance and the Chinese government. The OMB memo states that "TikTok is no longer a 'covered application' for purposes of the No TikTok on Government Devices Act", according to OMB Director Russell Vought. The reversal follows ByteDance's sale of majority shares to United States investors, including Oracle, in January.

TikTok temporarily went offline in the United States in 2025 after the Trump administration pressured ByteDance to divest or face permanent removal from the American market. The resulting settlement established TikTok USDS Joint Venture as an American-controlled version of the app for United States audiences. ByteDance retains approximately 20 per cent ownership. The Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel determined in July that the newly restructured United States version of TikTok was not subject to the original 2022 ban. Following that determination, multiple federal agencies including the Department of Transportation, Treasury Department, and Health and Human Services established official accounts on the platform.

The federal lift does not extend to other government bodies. Both chambers of Congress maintain bans on TikTok use on congressional devices, and Texas and Virginia have enacted their own prohibitions on state employee use. Pennsylvania has announced plans to challenge the app in court, citing child safety concerns rather than national security. Lawmakers had pursued restrictions on the app for years before the 2024 law forced the divestment agreement.