U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he may lower tariffs on China as an incentive for ByteDance to finalize a deal to sell TikTok, which is used by 170 million Americans.
ByteDance faces an April 5 deadline under a 2024 law requiring it to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a ban due to national security concerns. Trump indicated he is open to extending the deadline if necessary to facilitate a deal, acknowledging that China must approve any sale.
“Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done,” Trump told reporters, suggesting the administration is willing to use trade policy as leverage.
China’s commerce ministry reiterated its position that it seeks negotiations based on “mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit.” Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance has expressed confidence that a resolution will be reached by the April 5 deadline.
Reports indicate that White House-led discussions are moving toward a plan in which ByteDance’s largest non-Chinese investors would increase their stakes and acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations. The White House has taken an unprecedented role in the negotiations, acting almost like an investment bank.
TikTok briefly went offline in January after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ban, but Trump later postponed enforcement until April 5. He has signaled he could extend the deadline further if needed.
The proposed divestiture has sparked legal challenges from free speech advocates, who argue the ban could violate the First Amendment by restricting access to foreign media.
