World leaders desperate for trade deals amid tariff chaos, claims Trump

President Donald Trump claimed world leaders were "dying to make a deal" with the US and would do anything to secure a pact on tariffs.

I am telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass," Trump said during a speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner on Tuesday.

The president, who imposed a wide range of tariffs on various countries and triggered a global trade war, said: They are dying to make a deal. 'Please, please sir, make a deal. I'll do anything sir'.

Many new tariffs, announced by Trump on April 2, took effect on Wednesday morning.

Trump's tariffs include massive 104 per cent duties on Chinese goods while dozens of other nations, including the European Union, will face tariffs ranging from 11 per cent to 50 per cent.

Trump also announced plans for additional tariffs on pharmaceutical imports.

We're going to tariff our pharmaceuticals and once we do that they're going to come rushing back into our country because we're the big market, Fox News quoted Trump as saying.

We're going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals. When they hear that, they will leave China. They will leave other places because they have to sell most of their product is sold here and they're going to be opening up their plants all over the place.

The president gave no details on the pharmaceutical tariffs.