Trump says his new high tariffs are going 'very well, very smooth' — but he's open to more deals

Trump touted the expansive new tariffs on imports he imposed Thursday night, telling NBC News in a phone interview that it all was going "very well, very smooth."

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump touted the expansive new tariffs on imports he imposed on global trading partners Thursday night, telling NBC News in a phone interview that it all was going "very well, very smooth."

He also said that with just a few hours to go before his self-imposed midnight deadline for trade deals, it was "too late" for other countries to avoid tariff rates set to snap in place next week, which he formalized in a new executive order.

But, he added, his door will always be open to compelling offers: "It doesn’t mean that somebody doesn’t come along in four weeks and say we can make some kind of a deal."

In Thursday's executive order, Trump made official his agreements with trading partners such as the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the Philippines.

Trump’s order unilaterally sets rates — which are set to go into effect Aug. 7 — for trading partners that didn’t reach agreements with him. For example, Switzerland’s rate will be set higher than previously threatened, at 39%, while Taiwan’s will be set lower, at 20%.