President Donald Trump could consider offering tariff relief to China to help finalize a sale of TikTok, as the clock ticks toward a government-imposed deadline for its parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app.
What Happened: Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said he was open to reducing tariffs on China as part of the negotiation to transfer TikTok's ownership to a U.S. buyer.
"With respect to TikTok, and China is going to have to play a role in that, possibly in the form of an approval, maybe, and I think they'll do that," Trump said. "Maybe I'll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done."
Why It's Important: ByteDance faces an April 5 deadline to sell TikTok or risk a full ban in the U.S. under a national security law passed in 2024. The Joe Biden administration originally set the deadline for Jan. 19, but Trump extended it after taking office.
The sale remains complicated by Beijing's resistance. Trump has previously threatened to raise tariffs if China blocks a U.S. acquisition of the platform, which is used by over 170 million Americans.
The White House has also taken an active role in brokering the deal, with Vice President JD Vance expressing optimism that terms will be finalized by April 5.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration added over 50 Chinese entities to an export restriction list, limiting their access to advanced U.S. technology, including chips from Nvidia Corporation
China is also reportedly contemplating export limitations to counteract the U.S. economic measures.
There are also discussions underway for a potential "birthday summit" between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in June.
