The U.S. trade deficit edged down in September but remained elevated, challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce it through tariffs. The gap between imports and exports of goods and services was $105 billion, down 0.7% from August and below the previous month’s record high.
September’s deficit was still the second-largest monthly total since President Trump imposed global tariffs in April 2025. The measure has risen in recent months, partly as companies bring in costly artificial intelligence chips and computers for new data centers.
Imports increased 1.2% from August to a record $426.6 billion, with computers and pharmaceuticals among the goods purchased. Exports rose 1.9% to $321.5 billion, supported by computers, crude oil and aircraft, as well as large soybean orders from Chinese firms ahead of a planned U.S. visit by China’s president.
The administration views the trade deficit as a sign of weakness in U.S. manufacturing and has used tariffs on many imports in an effort to bring it down. Some economists have questioned whether that approach can succeed while spending by U.S. consumers and the government remains high.
Sources: The New York Times Business.