Trump administration lifts TikTok ban on US government devices

The Trump administration has lifted restrictions on the use of TikTok on federal government devices, saying the social media platform no longer poses a national security threat following the restructuring of its U.S. operations.

The White House Office of Management and Budget rescinded a 2023 directive on August 10 that prohibited TikTok from being used on government equipment, Bloomberg reveals. 

The earlier restrictions were introduced over concerns about the app’s ownership by Chinese company ByteDance and potential risks to U.S. national security.

The decision follows a written opinion issued last month by the U.S. Department of Justice, which concluded that TikTok no longer meets the legal definition of a “covered application” under a 2022 law that restricted its use on federal government platforms.

The change comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last September approving the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to a group of American investors.

By Sabina Mammadli