With the clock ticking on the fate of TikTok in the U.S., former President Donald Trump is once again using his favorite negotiation toolโtariffsโas leverage to pressure China into making a deal.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Trump hinted that he’s open to easing the heavy tariff burden he just slapped on Chinaโif Beijing gives Washington something โphenomenalโ in return. One clear example? A TikTok deal.
โWeโve got the TikTok situation,โ Trump said. โChina might say, โWeโll approve a deal, but can you do something about the tariffs?โโ
Tariffs Are ‘Great Power to Negotiate’
He wasnโt shy about the strategy either. โThe tariffs give us great power to negotiate,โ Trump told reporters, underscoring a tactic heโs leaned on heavily throughout his political career.
Still, when asked point-blank if he was currently negotiating a tariff-for-TikTok swap with China, Trump said no. But that doesnโt mean itโs off the table. Heโs floated similar ideas before. Back in March, during a press conference in the Oval Office, Trump mused: โMaybe Iโll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it doneโฆ because every point in tariffs is worth more money than TikTok.โ
The urgency is real. The U.S. Senate has already passed a law demanding that TikTokโs Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sell the social media giant or face a full-on ban. That deadline? April 5.
Trump, now back in the White House, delayed the ban by 75 days with an executive order in Januaryโbut that grace period is almost over.
TikTok Buyers Growing
Meanwhile, the list of potential TikTok buyers keeps growing. Among those reportedly interested: former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, ex-Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, and even YouTuber MrBeast. There are also whispers of last-minute bids from Amazon and the owner of OnlyFans.
Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on Thursday that a deal is likely before the deadline hits.
But while the TikTok drama plays out, Trumpโs tariff war with China is escalating fast. Just this week, he hiked tariffs on Chinese imports from 20% to a staggering 54%, after earlier imposing a blanket 10% tariff on imports from all countries.
China hasnโt taken it lying down. It responded to earlier tariffs with its own strikesโhitting U.S. crude oil, pork, soybeans, and even chicken with fresh tariffs.
Following the latest blow, Chinaโs Commerce Ministry warned that it will โresolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests.โ
Their message to Trump? End the tariffs and come to the table.
โTrade wars have no winners, and protectionism has no way out,โ the ministry said in a statement.
As of now, China hasnโt revealed its next moveโbut with tensions running high and the TikTok deadline looming, both sides are bracing for what comes next.
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