Trump Says Tariffs Are Encouraging China To Approve TikTok Deal Before Ban

ByteDance needs a non-Chinese entity to buy TikTok by tomorrow. If not, the popular short-form video app could be banned in the U.S. once again.

To make a deal happen, ByteDance will need support from the Chinese government. Now, with steep tariffs in place on goods imported into America from China, Beijing may be more malleable when it comes to authorizing such a sale.

“We have a situation with TikTok where China will probably say we’ll approve a deal, but will you do something on the tariffs,” President Trump said, per the Financial Times. “The tariffs give us great power to negotiate.”

As of this week, imports from China are subject to a 34% duty fee. This is an increase from the 20% imposed earlier this year.

On top of the approval needed from China, ByteDance and the Trump administration need to find a suitable buyer for TikTok. With the April 5 deadline approaching, the president said a deal is “very close.” Speaking to Fox News, Vice President JD Vance noted an agreement will emerge “before the deadline.”

TikTok Buyers

Numerous investors are attracted to the idea of taking over TikTok. Control of the app will open up access to the stored data of 170 million U.S. users.

Amazon reportedly made an offer for TikTok, which would give the e-commerce giant an obvious edge over competitors. The world’s largest online retailer could partner with the app’s influencers to promote products and services. Amazon would also likely take advantage of TikTok Shop, where users can buy products without ever leaving the app.

Other potential buyers include YouTube influencer MrBeast as well as AI startup Perplexity. Additional interested investors include private equity firms Blackstone and Susquehanna International Group.

Under current federal law, ByteDance must divest itself from the U.S. segment of TikTok or face a ban. The legislation, enacted last year under the Biden administration, was in response to fears related to national security.

Being owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok must share user data with the Chinese government. Many U.S. officials feel this is a threat to national security. As such, U.S. law stipulates that no more than one-fifth of the app can be controlled by an entity associated with a “foreign adversary.”