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White House lifts TikTok ban on US government devices
The change is based on a Justice Department legal opinion saying TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC no longer qualifies as a “covered application” under the No TikTok on Government Devices Act.
The White House has formally lifted a ban on TikTok on US government devices after the Justice Department determined the app version run by TikTok’s new US joint venture is not covered by the 2022 prohibition tied to ByteDance.
The White House Office of Management and Budget, in a memo dated Monday, rescinded a 2023 directive that barred TikTok on government devices over national security concerns, according to SCMP Economy.
The decision 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 qualifies as a “covered application” under the No TikTok on Government Devices Act.
The legal opinion also stated that President Donald Trump instructed executive branch employees could download TikTok on official devices, though individual agencies can still decide whether it is used and employees must follow workplace policies.