President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs could play a pivotal role in the fate of TikTok, as the popular social media app faces a looming deadline to sell or risk being banned in the U.S.

The Chinese-owned app has until April 5 to secure a non-Chinese buyer.

The president suggested a deal on tariffs might encourage China to authorize a sale.

“Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done, because every point in tariff is worth more money than TikTok,” he recently told reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump has promised 25% tariffs on imported automobiles and key car and truck vehicle parts, arguing it would boost domestic production from automakers with underutilized plants in the U.S.

“We’re going to make sure American workers are put first and we’re ending the unfair trade practices that have been hollowing out our middle class for decades,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

The additional tariff on auto parts is expected to affect China more than the tariff on cars, bringing TikTok into the equation. The New York Post reports a deal could be close, with TikTok’s current owner, ByteDance, potentially taking a minority stake while American-based Oracle handles data and other non-Chinese companies form a majority stake.

The app faces a ban over national security concerns, with claims the Chinese government could use it to spy on Americans. China would have to sign off on a deal to sell.

“I’m worried about our country, more than anything else, with respect to TikTok. And China’s going to have to play a role in that, possible, in the form of an approval, maybe,” Trump said.

The deadline to find a deal was extended by 75 days when Trump took office after TikTok was briefly banned. A group of Senate Democrats has urged the White House to work with Congress to pass another potential ban delay, sending a letter to the Trump administration that read in part “the path to saving TikTok should run through Capitol Hill.”

Trump designated April 2 as “Liberation Day” for imposing reciprocal tariffs on other countries. The new auto tariffs are set to be collected starting April 3, and the TikTok ban is set to take effect April 5 if no extension is granted and no deal is made.

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Galka at mjgalka@sbgtv.com.