TRUMP: TIKTOK no value without permit, half; China never paid not $.10, With me, they paid $600B

China Tariffs History

“Until I was president China never paid not ten cents to the United States.”

Trump’s framework:

• Prior presidents didn’t collect from China
• Essentially zero Chinese revenue
• Historical pattern
• China abuse enabled

“With me they paid hundreds of six hundred billion dollars or so or more more than that even of tariffs.”

Trump’s first-term China tariff revenue:

• $600 billion+ collected
• Multiple sectors
• Import taxes
• New revenue stream

The actual first-term numbers:

• Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods
• Various rates (typically 25%)
• Revenue over $100 billion annually during tariffs
• Cumulative $600B+ claim

Steel Industry Saved

“And If I didn’t do that you wouldn’t have a steel mill open in the United States right now. You wouldn’t have one steel mill open in the United States.”

The steel industry context:

• Declining for decades
• Chinese dumping destroying competition
• Section 232 tariffs (25% on steel)
• U.S. Steel (Nippon acquisition attempted)
• Cleveland-Cliffs
• Nucor
• Others surviving

“So what I did is I saved the steel industry. I saved other industries too with other tariffs.”

Industries saved:

• Steel (Section 232)
• Aluminum (Section 232)
• Solar panels (Section 201)
• Washing machines (Section 201)
• Various Section 301 protected industries

European Union Abuse

“Other countries are big abusers also, you know, it’s not just China. China is an abuser, but the European Union is is very very bad to us. They treat us very very badly.”

EU trade abuse framework:

• Multiple barriers to U.S. goods
• VAT taxes effectively tariffs
• Regulatory framework
• Subsidies for domestic industry
• Anti-American framework

“They don’t take our cars They don’t take our cars at all. They don’t take our farm products essentially.”

Specific examples:

• U.S. cars essentially excluded from EU
• Agricultural products limited
• Various consumer goods
• Asymmetric access

“They don’t take very much. We have a 350 billion dollar deficit with the European Union. They treat us very very badly.”

The $350 billion deficit:

• Annual U.S. trade deficit with EU
• Chronic imbalance
• Structural problem
• Fair trade framework violated

“They’re gonna be in for tariffs. It’s the only way you’re gonna get back it’s the only way you’re gonna get fairness.”

Trump’s framework:

• Tariffs as only leverage
• Fairness requires tariffs
• Reciprocity framework
• Market access pressure

TikTok Elon

“Are you open to Elon buying tiktok? I would be if you wanted to buy it. I’d like Larry to buy it too.”

Trump naming potential buyers:

• Elon Musk
• Larry Ellison
• Various others possible
• Trump as decision-maker

“I have the right to make a deal.”

Trump’s authority:

• Executive power
• National security framework
• Deal approval
• Strategic leverage

TikTok Deal Structure

“So the deal I’m thinking about Larry let’s negotiate in front of the media the deal I think is this and I’ve met with owners of tiktok the big owners.”

Trump transparent negotiating:

• Public discussion
• Owners consulted
• Framework outlined
• No secrecy

“It’s worthless if it doesn’t get a permit. It’s not like oh you can take the US the whole thing is worthless.”

The key leverage:

• No permit = worthless
• Chinese parent owns
• U.S. operations essential
• 170 million American users

“With a permit it’s worth like a trillion dollars.”

The value range:

• Worthless without U.S. permission
• Trillion dollar with approval
• Extreme valuation difference
• Trump controls outcome

Half to America

“So what I’m thinking about saying to somebody is buy it and give half to the United States of America half and we’ll give you the permit.”

The deal framework:

• Buyer purchases TikTok
• Gives half ownership to U.S.
• U.S. grants permit
• Buyer gets operating platform

“And they’ll have a great partner the United States and They’ll have something that’s actually more valuable because they have the ultimate Partner.”

American partnership value:

• Protection from rivals
• Regulatory clarity
• Market access
• Strategic advantages

“And the United States will make it very worthwhile for them in terms of the permits and everything else.”

Government support:

• Permits expedited
• Regulatory clarity
• Protection from competitors
• Strategic backing

Trillion Dollar Asset

“But so think of it you have an asset that has no value or has a trillion dollar value. It all depends on whether or not the United States gives the permit.”

The choice framework:

• Worthless (no permit)
• Trillion dollar value (permit granted)
• Binary outcome
• Trump controls

“So what I’m saying is let the United States give the permit and the United States should get half.”

The compensation framework:

• Permit granted by U.S.
• U.S. gets half the value
• Fair exchange
• Precedent-setting

“Sounds reasonable. What do you think? Yeah, he can he can afford it.”

Trump suggesting buyers can afford:

• Musk, Ellison net worth sufficient
• Various billionaires possible
• Wealth available
• Decision-making political

Ukraine Ceasefire

“Ceasefire in Ukraine the flag of Putin doesn’t come to the table to negotiate with you. Will you put additional sanctions on Russia?”

Reporter asking about Russian sanctions.

“It sounds likely?”

Trump’s response — additional sanctions likely if Putin doesn’t negotiate.

“Do you think that the war should be frozen currently?”

Reporter asking about freezing conflict.

“The war should have never started if you had a competent president which you didn’t the war wouldn’t have happened. The war in Ukraine would have never happened if I were president.”

Trump’s counterfactual:

• Under competent president (Trump), no war
• Biden incompetence enabled Putin invasion
• First-term deterrence worked
• Second-term prevention lost

“But that couldn’t happen because the election was rigged.”

The 2020 framework:

• Trump lost 2020 (Trump’s claim: rigged)
• Biden took office
• Biden weakness enabled Putin
• War resulted

Visits Announced

“We’re gonna take care of Los Angeles. I’m going there. I’m going to North Carolina, which has been abandoned by the Democrats.”

California and North Carolina:

• LA wildfires (January 2025)
• NC Hurricane Helene (September 2024)
• Democratic management failures
• Trump intervention

“And I’m going to North Carolina very importantly first. I’ll be there on Friday, and then I’m going from there to Los Angeles and then I’m going to Nevada.”

Trump’s visit sequence:

• North Carolina (Friday)
• Los Angeles (after NC)
• Nevada (after LA)

Nevada framework:

• Republican-leaning state
• Economic concerns
• Border adjacent
• Tourism industry

Trump’s Political Framework

The “abandoned by Democrats” framework:

• North Carolina Helene response delayed
• FEMA issues
• Democratic governor priorities
• Federal framework under Biden

Trump’s second-term approach:

• Immediate engagement
• Federal resources deployed
• Personal presidential visits
• Accountability

Significance

Trump’s comments captured multiple dimensions:

1. China tariffs: Historic revenue, industry-saving
2. EU framework: $350B deficit, tariffs coming
3. TikTok deal: U.S. gets half, billion+ value
4. Ukraine: Sanctions likely, war shouldn’t have started
5. Disaster visits: NC, LA, Nevada sequence

The $600 billion China tariff revenue claim — Trump’s first-term framework — established baseline for second-term escalation. Continued tariff revenue enabling broader economic priorities.

The TikTok deal framework represents unusual commercial-political integration. U.S. government as TikTok shareholder through Trump deal. Precedent-setting arrangement.

The Ukraine counterfactual — no war under Trump first term — reinforces deterrence framework. Strong leader prevents aggression; weak leader enables.

The disaster visit sequence prioritized political considerations (NC republican-leaning after disaster) and geography (West Coast after East). Demonstrated presidential engagement with multiple communities.

Key Takeaways

• Trump on China tariffs: “Until I was president China never paid not ten cents to the United States. With me they paid hundreds of six hundred billion dollars or so or more more than that even of tariffs and If I didn’t do that you wouldn’t have a steel mill open in the United States right now.”
• Trump on EU: “They don’t take our cars They don’t take our cars at all. They don’t take our farm products essentially … We have a 350 billion dollar deficit with the European Union. They treat us very very badly. They’re gonna be in for tariffs.”
• Trump on TikTok deal: “It’s worthless if it doesn’t get a permit … With a permit it’s worth like a trillion dollars. So what I’m thinking about saying to somebody is buy it and give half to the United States of America half and we’ll give you the permit.”
• Trump on Russia sanctions: “Will you put additional sanctions on Russia? Sounds likely.”
• Trump on Ukraine war: “The war should have never started if you had a competent president which you didn’t the war wouldn’t have happened. The war in Ukraine would have never happened if I were president. But that couldn’t happen because the election was rigged.”