President Trump Considers Lowering Tariffs On China To Secure TikTok Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he would consider reducing tariffs on China if the Chinese government approves the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations.

ByteDance faces an April 5 deadline to secure a non-Chinese buyer for TikTok or risk a U.S. ban on national security grounds—a restriction initially set to take effect in January under a 2024 law.

The law stems from concerns in Washington that ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok could make it susceptible to Chinese government influence, potentially allowing Beijing to conduct influence operations and collect data on American users.

Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, Trump emphasized that China “is going to have to play a role” in approving any TikTok-related divestiture.

He also indicated a willingness to extend the April deadline if a deal over the social media platform is not reached in time.

“Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done,” Trump said. “TikTok is big, but every point in tariffs is worth more than TikTok.”

The president’s remarks came less than two weeks before the April deadline requiring TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to divest or face a U.S. ban.

Earlier this month, Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism that a deal to keep TikTok operating in the U.S. could be finalized by the early April deadline.

According to NBC News, Vance did not disclose potential buyers but acknowledged that certain issues might delay a final agreement beyond the deadline.

Meanwhile, China’s commerce ministry reaffirmed its consistent stance on tariffs, stating during a Thursday press conference that Beijing remains open to engagement with Washington based on mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit.