The White House has formally lifted the ban on TikTok on US government devices after the Justice Department determined that the version operated by the platform’s new US joint venture is no longer covered by a 2022 prohibition targeting applications controlled by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in a memo dated Aug 10, rescinded a 2023 directive that barred the use of TikTok on government devices over national security concerns arising from its links to China.
The move formally implements a July opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel concluding that the application operated by TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC no longer qualified as a “covered application” under the No TikTok on Government Devices Act.
The opinion said US President Donald Trump had instructed that executive branch employees could download TikTok on official devices, although individual agencies retain discretion over its use and employees must comply with applicable workplace policies.
The lifting of restrictions comes after TikTok’s transfer of primary control of its US operations from its Chinese parent ByteDance Ltd to a majority American-owned consortium in January, under an agreement orchestrated by the Trump administration.
The joint venture, which came into effect on January 22, 2026, is led by Oracle Corp, private equity firm Silver Lake Management LLC and Abu Dhabi investment firm MGX.
They each own a 15% stake in the US entity, with existing ByteDance affiliates holding 30.1%, ByteDance retaining 19.9% and other investors owning the remaining five per cent.
The January restructuring of TikTok’s US operations meant the app would have to comply with American national security rules on foreign interference and data policy.
“The US joint venture will be responsible for US data protection, algorithm security, content moderation and software assurance,” said TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi in an internal memo seen by the South China Morning Post at the time.
“It will also have the exclusive right and authority to provide assurances that content, software and data for American users is secure.”
The restructuring effectively saved the popular social media app from a nationwide ban under the 2024 Biden-era law, which was sparked by concerns that TikTok and ByteDance could share data on American users with Chinese authorities.
Congress passed the legislation that would effectively ban TikTok in the US unless ByteDance sold its controlling stake in the business by January 19, 2025.
The law allowed a one-time 90-day extension to the deadline if “significant” progress towards a sale was evident.
Trump, who returned to power in January 2025, repeatedly postponed the law’s enforcement, issuing multiple executive orders before the deal was sealed.
In the past, Trump has praised the app, crediting it for helping him win the 2024 election.
“I think it helped me win the election in a landslide, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said.
He has also spoken about how his dealings with Chinese President Xi Jinping cleared the way for the sale to be approved.
“I would also like to thank President Xi, of China, for working with us and, ultimately, approving the Deal,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. “He could have gone the other way, but didn’t, and is appreciated for his decision.” – South China Morning Post
