Beijing, in blocking TikTok deal, turns Trump's trade playbook against him

[In It to Win It]

Beijing’s extraordinary move last week to walk away from the White House’s TikTok deal as leverage in an escalating trade war defies the norms of economic negotiations — but follows President Donald Trump’s own trade playbook.

The White House last week had finalized a pact to spin the popular video app’s U.S. operations into a new company owned and operated by a majority made up of American investors, according to two people familiar with the deal granted anonymity to speak candidly. The deal was set to be announced just days before a Saturday deadline mandating the app’s Beijing-based owner, ByteDance, sell to a majority of non-Chinese companies, or TikTok would go dark in the United States.

Then it fell apart.

Last Wednesday, Trump slapped 34 percent tariffs on China. On Thursday, ByteDance representatives told the White House Beijing would no longer approve the deal, the people said. And on Friday, Trump signed an executive order extending the deadline by 75 days.

Now, as the world’s two largest economies retaliate against each other with increasingly crippling tariffs, the TikTok deal is completely on pause, according to another person close to Vice President JD Vance, whose team was leading the negotiations. It’s a “waiting game,” said the person, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/10/beijing-in-blocking-tiktok-deal-turns-trumps-trade-playbook-against-him-00282210

[JBTaurus83]

1. There is no incentive for them to sell TikTok

it is extremely popular with the American people. A lot of "influencers" and small businesses make their money using the app. It was a mistake for Democrats to sign on to that bill. My guess is he will just extend the delay on shutting it down every 90 days.

[David__77]

2. It was a shockingly terrible mistake and political malpractice.

[Renew Deal]

3. So do they shut down TikTok in the US since there's no deal?

There wouldn't be many more ways to look Trump look bad than forcing TikTok to shut down after bragging that he saved it.