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Despite His Bluster and Boasting the Trade Deficit Under ‘Art of the Deal’ Donald Trump Now Highest in History
For years candidate and then President Donald Trump boasted and bragged about what a great deal maker he is, while denigrating, destroying, and tearing up trade deals made by his Republican and Democratic predecessors.
The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post Wednesday morning report that under President Trump, the U.S. trade deficit on goods has skyrocketed to the largest in history.
U.S. registers the largest trade deficit in goods in its history, growing by 10% to $891.25 billion in 2018 https://t.co/ZdaAuk2C5n
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 6, 2019
That means the U.S. in 2018 imported $891.2 billion more goods than it exported – a massive deficit, and a massive 10% increase.
If you add in the services sector, the U.S. trade deficit is still $621 billion, $100 billion more than under President Barack Obama.
“The president thus begins his reelection drive with a core campaign promise unfulfilled — and with a recent flurry of economic research showing that his embrace of tariffs is damaging the U.S. economy,” The Washington Post notes.
Remember this tweet from December?
….I am a Tariff Man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so. It will always be the best way to max out our economic power. We are right now taking in $billions in Tariffs. MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2018
Bloomberg News does: “Tariff-Man Trump to Preside Over $100 Billion Jump in Trade Gap.”
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