According to CNBC, the US trade deficit grew in December 2025, after a year in which efforts by US President Donald Trump’s administration to close the gap between imports and exports mainly failed.
The Commerce Department said Thursday (local time) that the US trade imbalance in goods and services in December reached $70.3 billion, capping a year marked by volatility in international markets. That was much more than the Dow Jones average projection of $55.5 billion, and it was $17.3 billion more than November.
Trump’s assertion regarding the trade imbalance
The official statistics come a day after Trump declared on Truth Social that the US trade deficit had reduced substantially by 78%. He said on Wednesday (local time) that the tariffs imposed on other businesses and nations have resulted in a 78% reduction in the US trade imbalance. For the first time in many decades, it will enter positive territory this year.
Trump’s remark is untrue because official data indicates that the US trade deficit decreased by just 0.2% in 2025, not 78%.
Data on the US trade deficit in 2025
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) statistics shows that December 2025 imports were $357.6 billion, $12.3 billion more than November imports, and December 2025 exports were $287.3 billion, $5 billion less than November.
In December, the goods deficit increased by $15.7 billion to reach $99.3 billion, while the services surplus decreased by $1.6 billion to $29.0 billion, contributing to the increase in the overall goods and services deficit.
Washington’s trade imbalance increased from $29.2 billion in October to $56.8 billion in November, according to data from the US Census Bureau. The US exported $292.1 billion worth of goods and services in November, which was $10.9 billion less than its October exports, indicating a decline in foreign sales.
In comparison to 2024, the trade deficit shrank by $2.1 billion, or 0.2%, in 2025. For 2025, exports reached $3.43 trillion, up $199.8 billion, or 6.2%. Imports reached $4.33 trillion after rising by $197.8 billion, or 4.8%. Washington’s trade deficit was $901.5 billion, which was marginally less than both the record $923.7 billion deficit in 2022 and the deficit in 2024.
The greatest goods imbalance with the European Union was $218.8 billion for Washington, $202.1 billion for China, and $196.9 billion for Mexico.
A CNBC article claims that businesses hurried to import goods in the first three months of the year in order to avoid the effects of impending tariffs. The monthly trade deficit dropped to its lowest level since 2009 by October after the initial spike in pace slowed.
Trump’s tariffs
Nearly a year has passed since Trump’s April 2025 announcement of “Liberation Day” tariffs. The goal of the tariffs, which were imposed on over 100 nations, was “making America wealthy again.” Trump imposed “reciprocal tariffs” ranging from 10% to 50% on April 2. It was America’s “statement of economic independence,” he said.
But as multiple nations negotiated agreements with Washington, the Trump administration loosened its position on them during the year. China, Japan, South Korea, and other countries were on the list. India, though, was a bit late to the list. Trump reduced the tax on India from the 26% he had previously set to 25% in 2025.
After New Delhi refused to stop buying Russian crude oil, citing the nation’s energy security, he later announced in August that all Indian goods would be subject to an additional 25% tariff. The Trump administration condemned this claim and charged that New Delhi was supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
