US trade deficit reduced 24%: USTR

One year after the application of the tariff program promoted by President Donald Trump, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) reported a reduction in the trade deficit, as well as progress in several indicators linked to foreign trade, industrial production and labor income.

As published yesterday by the US organization, the total trade deficit of that country decreased 24 percent between April 2025 and February 2026, compared to the same period of the previous year. In parallel, its trade balance showed improvement with more than 61 percent of its trading partners.

He highlighted that the trade deficit with China was reduced by 30 percent in 2025 and with the European Union by 45 percent in the period between April 2025 and February 2026. In the case of Switzerland, the USTR highlighted, Washington registered a trade surplus for the first time since 2012.

Ambassador Jamieson Greer noted that tariffs and trade agreements are part of a strategy to correct imbalances in international trade and expand market access. He indicated that these agreements reach more than 2 billion consumers globally.

In terms of exports, the USTR reported that a historical maximum of $314 billion in goods and services was reached in February. Likewise, exports of agricultural products, including corn, eggs, dairy and canola, had double-digit increases in 2025.

For its part, the manufacturing production index has maintained an upward trend since November 2024 and reached its highest level since 2020.

The United States surpassed Japan in crude steel production for the first time in more than 25 years and labor productivity in manufacturing recorded its largest annual increase in 15 years, the USTR said.

In turn, the salaries of manual workers recovered the losses accumulated in the previous four years. On average, they increased more than $1,400 in 12 months.