US trade deficit declined in 2025 — but America imported a record amount despite Trump tariffs

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US trade deficit declined in 2025 — but America imported a record amount despite Trump tariffs
PoliticsChinaCommerce Department
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Today's Business Headlines: 02/19/2026

The US trade deficit slipped modestly in 2025, a year in which President Trump upended global commerce by slapping on imports from most countries. But the gap in the trade of goods such machinery and aircraft — the main focus ofOverall, the gap the between the goods and services the US sells other countries and what it buys from them narrowed to just over $901 billion, from $904 billion in 2024, but it was still the third-highest on record, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

The gap the between the goods and services the US sells other countries and what it buys from them narrowed to just over $901 billion, from $904 billion in 2024, but it was still the third-highest on recordAnd the US deficit in the trade of goods widened 2% to a record $1.24 trillion last year as American companies boosted imports of computer chips and other tech goods from Taiwan to support massive investments in artificial intelligence. Amid continuing tensions with Bejing, the deficit in the goods trade with China plunged nearly 32% to $202 billion in 2025 on a sharp drop in both exports to and imports from the world’s second-biggest economy. But trade was diverted away from China. The goods gap with Taiwan doubled to $147 billion and shot up 44%, to $178 billion, with Vietnam.Struggling cruise line faces turnaround effort as activist investor reveals 10% stakeEconomist Chad Bown, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said the widening gaps with Taiwan and Vietnam might put a “bulls eye’’ on them this year if Trump focuses more on the lopsided trade numbers and less on the US rivalry with China. In 2025, US goods imports from Mexico outpaced exports by nearly $197 billion, up from a 2024 gap of $172 billion. But the goods deficit with Canada shrank by 26% to $46 billion. The United States this year is negotiating a renewal of a pact Trump reached with those two countries in his first term. President Trump in April unveiling his tariff plan. The trade gap surged from January-March as US companies tried to import foreign goods ahead of Trump’s taxes, then narrowed most of the rest of the year.The US ran a bigger surplus in the trade of services such as banking and tourism last year — $339 billion, up from $312 billion in 2024. The trade gap surged from January-March as US companies tried to import foreign goods ahead of Trump’s taxes, then narrowed most of the rest of the year. are a tax paid by US importers and often passed along to their customers as higher prices. But they haven’t had as much impact on inflation as economists originally expected. Trump argues that the tariffs will protect US industries, bringing manufacturing back to America and raise money for the Treasury.Grandson of Reese's founder alleges Hershey switched to cheaper ingredients – sparking family feudBethenny Frankel gives health update as chronic kidney disease takes ‘step in the wrong direction’

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