US trade deficit widens sharply in December; goods trade gap highest on record in 2025

it looks like frump's economic programme is a stunning success

WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. trade deficit widened sharply in December amid a surge in imports, and the goods shortfall in 2025 was the highest on record despite President Donald Trump's tariffs on foreign manufactured merchandise.

The trade gap ballooned 32.6% to $70.3 billion, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters forecast the trade deficit would contract to $55.5 billion. The trade deficit narrowed 0.2% to $901.5 billion in 2025. The goods trade gap widened 2.1% to an all-time high of $1.24 trillion.

Trump last year unleashed a barrage of tariffs against trading partners with the aim, among other things, to address trade imbalances and protect U.S. industries. But the punitive duties have not yielded a manufacturing renaissance, with factory employment declining by 83,000 jobs from January 2025 through January 2026.

The report was delayed because of last year's government shutdown. Imports increased 3.6% to $357.6 billion in December. Goods imports surged 3.8% to $280.2 billion, boosted by a $7.0 billion increase in industrial supplies and materials, mostly non-monetary gold, copper and crude oil.


comradestalin
moscow

Gabriel_Bell said:

Trump's tariffs did not alter the trade balance, but it DID cost Americans billions in higher prices.

The premise was that the trade imbalance was justified by a national emergency, which was a LIE.

He raised tariffs on Brazil because Brazil convicted Bolsonaro of attempting to stage a coup, which he clearly was guilty of doing. But there is NO WAY that how Brazil deals with politicians guilty of anything is a natinal emergency in the US.

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Democrats again prove they have no clue about what is really going on.

The FACT is that all Shitshizpants' tariffs have done is cause the dollar to decline in value compared to the Euro, Swiss Franc and other major currencies, to throw the world economic scene into chaos, and to tax Americans with $1,000+ in price hikes caused by his stupid tariffs. The STILL has as unfavorable trade balance, actually WORSE than before. Only the countries we trade with are different.

Shitshizpants likes tariffs because they allow him to bully other countries, and also it facilitates his soliciting BRIBES from other countries, corporations and institutions.

Gabriel_Bell said:

The FACT is that all Shitshizpants' tariffs have done is cause the dollar to decline in value compared to the Euro, Swiss Franc and other major currencies, to throw the world economic scene into chaos, and to tax Americans with $1,000+ in price hikes caused by his stupid tariffs. The STILL has as unfavorable trade balance, actually WORSE than before. Only the countries we trade with are different.

Shitshizpants likes tariffs because they allow him to bully other countries, and also it facilitates his soliciting BRIBES from other countries, corporations and institutions.

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Democrats don't even know that money does not grow on trees, so it is no wonder they have no clue how to negotiate international trade deals.