The White House reversed a ban prohibiting TikTok on government devices this week — allowing federal government employees to start using the popular social media platform again.
The memo overturns a ban prohibiting use of the app on federal devices signed into law by then-President Joe Biden in 2022. The Office of Management and Budget was tasked with creating guidelines for enforcing the ban, with exceptions for “law enforcement activities” and “national security interests.”
“TikTok is no longer a ‘covered application’ for purposes of the No TikTok on Government Devices Act,” OMB Director Russell Vought wrote in the short memo.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the policy reversal.
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The app’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, sold a majority of its shares to U.S. investors in January after facing pressure from the federal government over national security concerns. The Justice Department issued new guidance on the policy last month, saying the restructuring allows the U.S. version — backed by stakeholders like Oracle — to once again be downloaded on federal devices.
Several agencies launched new accounts on July 21 following the DOJ’s guidance, including cinematic videos and compilations featuring Trump and Cabinet leaders.
The White House launched its own TikTok account last August — a year before the ban was rescinded.
Lawmakers had been pushing to ban TikTok for all American users for years, and a 2024 law required ByteDance to divest in its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. Some members of Congress took issue with the White House’s use of the platform at the time due to national security concerns.
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