U.S. trade gap rises to $56.6 billion
WASHINGTON — The U.S. trade deficit rose in January to the highest level since October 2008, defying President Donald Trump’s efforts to bring more balance to America’s trade with the rest of the world.
The Commerce Department said Wednesday the trade deficit rose to $56.6 billion in January, up 5 percent from $53.9 billion in December and the highest since October 2008’s $60.2 billion trade gap. The deficit — the gap between what America sells and what it buys abroad — has risen for five straight months.
Trump rattled financial markets last week by promising to slap big tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. He blames persistent deficits on abusive practices by U.S. trading partners and on bad trade deals that put American companies at a disadvantage or encourage them to move factories overseas.
Exports fell 1.3 percent to $200.9 billion in January, and imports were flat at $257.5 billion.
The United States ran a $76.5 billion deficit in the trade of goods, which was partially offset by a $19.9 billion surplus in services such as education and banking.
The $36 billion January deficit with China was the highest since September 2015. The trade gap with Mexico narrowed to $4.1 billion from $5.4 billion in December.
Trump upset America’s allies last week by vowing to slap tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum. Europe has threatened to retaliate with sanctions on U.S. exports, raising the risk of a potentially destructive trade war.
Trump is also demanding a rewrite of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada in an attempt to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico and to shift more auto production north of the border.
