Trump Administration Lifts TikTok Ban for Federal Devices

The Trump administration has lifted a ban on TikTok for federal government devices, allowing employees across the executive branch to download and use the popular social media app on their official phones and computers. The reversal was formalized in a memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget issued on August 10, 2026, which stated that TikTok is no longer prohibited under the No TikTok on Government Devices Act.

The original ban was enacted in 2022 amid national security concerns about TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and potential data access by the Chinese government. The new guidance follows a significant restructuring of TikTok's U.S. operations. Earlier this year, ByteDance divested a majority of its shares to American investors, creating the TikTok U.S. Data Security Joint Venture to control the app for U.S. users. ByteDance now retains a minority stake of approximately 20 percent.

In a legal opinion issued last month, the Department of Justice concluded that the restructured U.S. version of TikTok no longer falls under the category of applications prohibited by the 2022 law. The DOJ noted that the new entity uses a different recommendation algorithm...