U.S. Imports Grew in 2025, as Trump’s Tariffs Took Effect

U.S. imports rose in 2025 even as steep tariffs imposed by President Trump scrambled trade patterns but did not halt cross-border flows. Companies rushed to stockpile goods ahead of levies and then paused imports, and investors bought and sold foreign gold as a hedge against volatility.

High tariffs dampened purchases of cars and household items, yet imports of chips for new artificial intelligence data centers and foreign weight-loss drugs helped keep trade relatively robust. Total imports of goods and services increased 4.7 percent to $4.3 trillion, while exports climbed 6.2 percent to $3.4 trillion, leaving a trade deficit of $901 billion, slightly below the $903 billion posted in 2024.

That modest narrowing reflected an expanding surplus in services; the deficit in physical goods, Mr. Trump’s focus, was the largest on record in 2025. Trade swung sharply at year’s end, with the deficit rising 32.6 percent in December as imports rose and exports fell.

United States

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