U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that the escalating tariff standoff between the United States and China could be nearing a resolution, while indicating that a decision on the future of TikTok in the U.S. may be postponed.
“I don’t want them to go higher,” Trump said regarding tariffs, explaining that excessively high duties could discourage consumer spending. “You want people to buy, and at a certain point, people won’t.”
Trump’s remarks signal a reduced willingness to pursue sweeping tariff hikes after markets responded sharply to increases announced on April 2. While a 10% tariff was placed on most imported goods, additional rate hikes were delayed to allow time for further negotiations.
Nonetheless, tariffs on Chinese imports were raised significantly, now reaching a cumulative 145%, following retaliatory actions by Beijing. China later announced that it would not engage in a “numbers game” over tariffs, implying that it does not plan to raise its own duties further.
Trump said Chinese officials had been in contact since the tariffs took effect and expressed cautious optimism about reaching a broader agreement. However, insiders noted that formal, high-level talks between the two sides remain limited.
When asked about ongoing negotiations, Trump declined to provide details or confirm whether Chinese President Xi Jinping is directly involved.
Regarding TikTok, the president has extended the legal deadline for ByteDance—the platform’s China-based parent company—to divest its U.S. operations. He stated that any potential deal involving the short-video platform, used by around 170 million Americans, will likely be put on hold until the trade dispute is resolved.
“We do have a deal for TikTok,” Trump said, “but it depends on China, so we’ll wait until the broader issue is settled.”
