![U.S. Trade Deficit Spiked to $70B in December — Biggest Jump in Years [OC]](https://www.byteseu.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/flhlj24ctikg1-1536x807.png "U.S. Trade Deficit Spiked to $70B in December — Biggest Jump in Years [OC]")
Data: FRED (BEA + U.S. Census Bureau) — Series BOPGSTB, BOPTIMP, BOPTEXP
Tools: R (ggplot2, tidyverse, patchwork)
This chart shows the U.S. monthly trade balance alongside imports vs exports.
The December deficit widened sharply to $70.3B, driven by rising imports and falling exports. Full-year deficit hit $901.5B, among the largest since 1960.
Posted by forensiceconomics
12 Comments
I assume the sharp drop at the end of 2024 was companies trying to stock up in anticipation of incoming tarrifs?
Great job! Have you seen the Dow? Like Omg.
Will Rogers(early 20th century US entertainer/humorist) once stated:
* “The one way to detect a feeble-minded man is get one arguing on economics.”
Trump has proven this to be true.
Manufacturing exploded. Mission accomplished.
Lmao so tariffs have actually done absolutely jack shit towards what they were supposedly for
Huh. Isolating and pissing off the world and imposing tariffs on imports caused a trade deficit? Who could have seen that coming.
So, imports are still climbing (because Americans need stuff) while exports are cratering (because other countries are retaliating and/or moving on without us). But we get gold planes and $4 billion in family grift. Neat. Also, don’t forget that we need to “discipline” the analysts who showed that the American consumer is paying 90% of tariff costs.
Say it with me yall, THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!
Oh well, if there’s a silver lining to my being dirt poor already, it’s that I’m so fucked either way that this doesn’t make any difference. 🤣
Trumponomics, the 6 time bankrupt “businessman” way. He also raped kids.
The data may be beautiful, but what it represents is anything but. SAD.
The dip is from US companies anticipating tariffs. A trade deficit is not always a bad thing, despite the name kind of making it sound that way.
We’ve been in a deficit for a number of decades and will likely stay that way as the USD continues to be the world’s reserve currency.