On Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump remarked that he might offer China “a slight decrease in tariffs” if the Chinese government endorses a TikTok agreement facilitated by his administration.
“China will need to be involved in that,” he stated during a news conference at the White House, “possibly through an approval, perhaps, and I believe they will.”
In February, Trump signed a memorandum advocating for “fair and reciprocal” trade tariffs for all major trading partners of the U.S., including long-standing allies. He had earlier declared April 2, the day for announcing extensive trade tariffs, as “Liberation Day in America.”
The status of TikTok in the U.S. has remained uncertain since last year, following bipartisan legislation enacted by President Joe Biden. This law compels ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell the app to a buyer outside of China or face a potential ban nationwide.
Though TikTok had contested this ruling, the Supreme Court upheld it in the latter days of the Biden presidency. The platform had temporarily gone offline in the U.S. just prior to Trump’s inauguration but resumed service after the president indicated he would reassess the ban.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order mandating that the app and ByteDance must divest or sell TikTok by April 5.
Since the issuance of the executive order, Vice President JD Vance has been collaborating with national security adviser Michael Waltz to secure a buyer. Vance expressed to NBC News this month that he was optimistic about finalizing a deal with a new owner before the impending deadline.
Recently, speculation has continued regarding potential buyers for TikTok, which boasts millions of users and is valued at as much as $50 billion. Numerous contenders have emerged in the bidding process, including Wyoming billionaire Reid Rasner.
“We are determined to select the one that is best, best for the country,” Trump asserted on Wednesday. “My primary concern regarding TikTok is the well-being of our country.”
TikTok did not immediately reply to an inquiry about Trump’s latest comments concerning its future.
Since Trump signed the order on January 20, ByteDance has not made any public statements. The company has also not confirmed any intention to sell the app.
