Why does the US have a trade deficit?

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Recorded17 Apr 2025

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The U.S. trade deficit has long been a source of political consternation, but it has come to the forefront in recent weeks. Just a few months into Donald Trump's second term, he has made the trade deficit a key target of his aggressive tariff policies. On the day that President Trump announced a new, sweeping round of tariffs on all U.S. trade partners, Brookings Senior Fellow Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti was joined by Maurice Obstfeld of the Peterson Institute for International Economics to discuss Obstfeld's new paper, "The U.S. Trade Deficit: Myths and Realities." On this episode of the Brookings Podcast on Economic Activity, Miles-Ferretti and Obstfeld explore the causes and consequences of the U.S. trade deficit, the role of China and other foreign nations, and broader implications for the American economy. Show notes and transcript The Brookings Podcast on Economic Activity is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback email to [email protected].

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