US President Donald Trump says he may cut China tariffs to finalise TikTok deal

US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday (March 26) that he is open to reducing tariffs on China to facilitate a deal for TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, to sell the app. TikTok, used by 170 million Americans, faces a looming April 5 deadline for divestment or a potential US ban. Speaking to reporters, Trump acknowledged that China’s approval is necessary for any agreement to move forward. “Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done,” he said, indicating that tariffs could be used as a bargaining tool to push the sale.
According to a Reuters report, he also signaled a willingness to extend the April 5 deadline if a deal is not reached in time, reinforcing that resolving TikTok’s ownership remains a priority for his administration.
Trump has previously used tariffs to pressure China in trade and technology disputes. On his first day in office, he warned that he could impose new tariffs if Beijing did not approve a US deal for TikTok. Since then, the Trump administration has added 20% in levies to all Chinese imports.
As per the report, Trump acknowledged that China’s approval is crucial for any agreement and suggested that a tariff reduction could help finalise the deal.

Concerns over TikTok’s Chinese ownership have been ongoing in Washington, with lawmakers fearing the app could be used for data collection and influence operations by the Chinese government. In 2024, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations by January 19, citing national security risks. The app was briefly banned after the US Supreme Court upheld the law, but Trump later postponed enforcement to April 5 through an executive order.
The White House has taken an active role in negotiations, with talks reportedly centering on non-Chinese investors increasing their stakes in ByteDance to take control of TikTok’s U.S. operations. Vice President JD Vance has said he expects a general agreement on the deal by April 5.