Donald Trump attempts to negotiate a TikTok sale live on television.

During his live broadcast statement about his intention to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, Donald Trump made an attempt to negotiate a possible sale of TikTok.

The US president was asked on a variety of subjects during a press conference regarding a $500 billion (£405 billion) investment in the nation’s AI infrastructure.

He had tried to discuss the sale of TikTok with Larry Ellison, an American billionaire reportedly valued over $204 billion (£165 billion).

Just one day into his second administration, Mr. Trump also had to justify some of his acts.

“I would be, if he wanted to buy it,” Mr. Trump stated when the subject of TikTok came up, indicating that he was “open” to his close friend Elon Musk purchasing the app. I also want Larry [Ellison] to purchase it.

He went on, “I have the right to strike a deal. Larry, let’s negotiate in front of the public about the deal I’m considering.

“This, I believe, is the agreement. I spoke with the large owners of TikTok, and they told me that without a permission, it is useless; with one, it is worth around a trillion dollars.

“What I’m thinking of saying to someone is buy it and give half to the US, half, and we’ll give you a permit… the US will be the ultimate partner and the US will make it very worthwhile for them.”

Mr. Ellison said, “Sounds like a good deal to me Mr President,” in response to the president’s question on the offer.

Mr. Trump also claimed to have gotten a “very nice letter” from departing Joe Biden at the news conference.

“I think it was a wonderful letter, and I think I should let people read it. It was a little bit of an encouraging message, joy, do a good job, important, very important the work is… “Thank you for the letter,” he said.

2:05

As part of a blitz of executive orders Mr Trump signed on Monday, he issued pardons for more than 1,500 people involved in the Capitol riot – including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders.

When asked how he justified pardoning convicted violent rioters, some of whom attacked police, he said: “I am the friend of police more than any president that has been in this office.

“They’ve been given a pardon, I thought their sentences were ridiculous and excessive.”

When further questioned over the words of his vice president JD Vance, who said no violent rioters would be pardoned, Mr Trump claimed they had “served years in jail and murderers don’t even go to jail in this country”.

Tariff countdown

Across the campaign trail, Mr Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of using tariffs against other countries.

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But for the first time, he gave a date for potentially bringing them in.

He vowed to hit the European Union (EU) with tariffs and said his administration was discussing imposing an additional 10% tariff on goods imported from China from 1 February because, he claimed, fentanyl was being sent from China to Mexico and Canada, then on to the US.

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“The European Union is very, very bad to us, so they’re going to be in for tariffs. It’s the only way… you’re going to get fairness,” he said.