US trade deficit widens in February as imports offset record exports

Source: Reuters

April 2, 2026 9:39 AM EDT Updated 5 hours ago


WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. trade deficit widened in February as a rebound in imports offset strong growth in exports, which increased to a record high, potentially keeping trade on track to subtract from economic growth in the ​first quarter.

The trade gap increased 4.9% to $57.3 billion, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis and ‌Census Bureau said on Thursday. Data for January was revised to show the deficit narrowing to $54.7 billion instead of $54.5 billion as previously estimated. Economists polled by Reuters forecast the trade deficit rising to $61.0 billion in February.

The BEA and Census Bureau are still catching up on ​data releases following last year's government shutdown. Trade data continues to be volatile amid shifting policy.

The U.S. ​Supreme Court in February struck down President Donald Trump's broad tariffs, which he pursued under ⁠a law meant for use in national emergencies. Trump, however, responded by imposing a global tariff for up to 150 ​days. Trump has defended the tariffs as necessary to address the trade deficit and revive the nation's industrial base, though ​100,000 factory jobs have been lost since January 2025.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-trade-deficit-widens-february-imports-offset-record-exports-2026-04-02/

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