LONDON DAILY ARCHIVE
Trump Proposes Tariff Cuts to Facilitate TikTok Sale
US President suggests extending deadline for TikTok's divestiture to a non-Chinese buyer amid ongoing national security concerns.
28 March 2025 · 01:34 UTC
The app faces a deadline of April 5 to secure a non-Chinese buyer to avoid a ban resulting from national security fears.
In recent statements, Trump suggested he could allow for a potential reduction in tariffs previously imposed on Chinese imports to facilitate the transaction, acknowledging that China would need to play a part in any deal pertaining to TikTok's sale.
A 20% tax is currently levied on all imports from China, while additional tariffs of 25% have been announced for cars and car parts coming into the United States.
TikTok, which boasts approximately 170 million users in the US, has been a focal point of controversy over allegations that it could be compelled to provide user data to the Chinese government, thereby posing risks to American national security.
The administration's intentions to ban TikTok began when a prohibition was planned just before Trump took office in January.
The Biden administration has deferred making a final decision regarding the ban.
Recent reports have revealed that discussions led by the White House are considering plans for the largest non-Chinese investors in ByteDance to enhance their stakes and potentially assume control of TikTok's US operations.
Industry analysts have voiced concerns that a US ban on TikTok could significantly alter the global operations of the platform, particularly affecting content creators who rely on it to reach their audience.
While the US moves to potentially restrict TikTok, the United Kingdom has opted for a different approach.
Although TikTok is prohibited on government devices in the UK due to similar security concerns, an exemption was granted recently for the launch of an official government account, named 'ukgov,' which promotes public service announcements, including passport renewals and policy information.
The backdrop of these developments has reignited debates regarding the implications of foreign ownership of social media platforms and the safeguarding of user data in the digital age.