Trump Thinks Cutting China’s Tariffs Could Seal The TikTok Deal

The deadline on the TikTok ban extension is nearly up, and so far it doesn’t look like we’re even close to seeing any kind of deal. However, US President Donald Trump thinks he has the answer—cutting tariffs for China—which he believes could help secure a deal with TikTok.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “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. Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has used tariffs as leverage against China. When he took office earlier this year, Trump threatened China with more tariffs if it did not approve a TikTok deal. However, China did not budge, leading Trump to pivot. Instead of leading with the stick, Trump is now going with the carrot.

But China doesn’t seem eager to play ball. A spokesman for Beijing’s foreign ministry reiterated China’s stance on tariffs. “China’s opposition to the imposition of additional tariffs has always been consistent and clear.”

In a way, it’s ironic. During Trump’s first term as President, he called on TikTok to be banned. However, it now seems that he’s doing everything in his power to keep it. This is because he has credited the platform for helping him secure his second term as President.

TikTok originally faced a ban earlier this year if it didn’t sell itself to a U.S. company. However, after Trump took office, he extended the deadline of the ban by 75 days, which is due to expire on the 5th of April. According to Trump, he expects at least an outline of the deal before then.

Still no clear buyer

That said, no one has clearly stepped up to buy TikTok yet. Many names and organizations have popped up as potential bidders. This includes YouTuber MrBeast and Reddit’s co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk’s name was also floated, although the billionaire denied any interest in the platform.

The last we heard, Trump said that he has four bidders lined up. Recent reports claim that Oracle is currently in the lead as a potential buyer. Oracle already hosts TikTok’s servers, and the two companies are currently working together.

That said, Trump hasn’t confirmed any tariff cuts for China yet—he only suggested it might happen if it helps push China to approve the TikTok sale.