His administration has acknowledged that exceptions undercut the power of tariffs, but it seems hard for the president to resist making deals.

The initial tariffs apply to imports from China, Canada, and Mexico -- the U.S.' top trading partners -- and the Trump Administration says it put them in place as a response to a flow of lethal drugs into the U.S. In recent days, though, the president also announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, and these apply to all countries.