U.S. President Donald Trump signaled on Wednesday that he is open to reducing tariffs on China to facilitate a deal for ByteDance to sell TikTok, the short-video app with 170 million American users.
ByteDance faces an April 5 deadline to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations or risk a ban under a 2024 law citing national security concerns. Trump also indicated he is willing to extend the deadline if an agreement is not reached.
The U.S. government has raised concerns that ByteDance’s ownership could make TikTok susceptible to influence from Beijing, including data collection and propaganda efforts. While Trump acknowledged that China’s approval is necessary for any deal, he suggested a tariff reduction could be used as leverage to finalize the sale.
In recent months, the administration has increased tariffs on Chinese imports, adding pressure to trade negotiations.
The White House has played an active role in discussions, with sources indicating that talks among investors are centering on a plan for ByteDance’s largest non-Chinese backers to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations. Vice President JD Vance has expressed confidence that an agreement could be reached by the April deadline.
The uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future stems from bipartisan legislation requiring ByteDance to divest its U.S. assets. The app briefly went offline in January following a Supreme Court ruling upholding the ban but was reinstated after Trump delayed enforcement to April 5.
He has since suggested he could extend the timeline further.
The ongoing negotiations highlight the broader geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing, with TikTok’s fate intertwined with U.S.-China trade policy. China’s commerce ministry reiterated its willingness to engage with the U.S. based on mutual respect and benefit but has not commented on whether it would approve a sale.
