Trade Deficit Surges In December, Full Year Deficit Hits A New Record

Balance of Trade Deficit Jumps in December

The Census Bureau’s International Trade Report shows huge increases in the trade deficit for December.

• International Trade Deficit: $70.3 Billion, up 32.6 Percent

• International Trade in Goods Deficit: $98.5 Billion, up 19 Percent

For the full year, the goods deficit was 1.237 trillion, an increase of 32 billion.

Top 10 US Trade Deficits 2025

2025 Full Year Trade Balances

• China: -202 Billion

• Mexico: -197 Billion

• Vietnam: -178 Billion

• Ireland: -114 Billion

• Taiwan: -147 billion

• South Korea: -56 Billion

• Japan: -64 Billion

• Canada: -53 Billion

• Germany: -73 Billion

• India: -58 Billion

2024 vs 2025 Trade Balances

2024 vs 2025 Trade Change

• China: +94 Billion

• EU: +17 Billion

• Mexico: -26 Billion

• Vietnam: -55 Billion

• Ireland: -27 Billion

• Germany: +12 Billion

• Taiwan: -73 billion

• Japan: +5 Billion

• South Korea: +10 Billion

• Canada: +9 Billion

• India: -12 Billion

Congratulations to Trump for reducing the trade deficit with China by 94 billion.

Unfortunately, nearly all of that trade improvement was masked in Vietnam, India, and Mexico (-93 billion).

Meanwhile, the trade deficit with Taiwan surged to 73 billion.

Everything netted out to a full year increase in the deficit by 32 billion.

Exploring Total Nonsense

Brightening Up America

“Missed the est trade number by $20 billion and you want to tar him? $70 billion pales in comparison to Biden’s $80-$120 billion monthly average. Brightening up a lot in America.”

Brightening Up America Trade Math

• 2021: -1,071 Billion

• 2022: -1,167 Billion

• 2023: -1,056 Billion

• 2024: -1,205 Billion

• Biden Average: -1,125 Billion

• Trump 2025: -1,237

Trump in 2025 increased the trade deficit vs Biden average by 112 Billion.

I feel a lot brighter today, especially because Trump reduced the trade deficit by 78 percent.

Looking Ahead

Trade deficits do tend to collapse in recessions.

If stupid tariffs put enough people out of work, Trump just might be able to do something about the deficit in 2026.

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