US Trade Deficit Hits Record in March on Pre-Tariff Imports Spike

Imports grew by 4.4 percent to a record high of $419 billion as businesses bolstered their purchases before the government announced further tariffs.

Shipping containers line the Port of Los Angeles, Calif., on March 28, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The U.S. trade deficit widened to a record high in March as companies accelerated their imports ahead of U.S. tariffs taking effect.

Bureau of Economic Analysis data released on May 6 show that the international trade deficit—a measure of when a country’s imports exceed its exports—reached an all-time high of $140.5 billion. This is up by 14 percent from a revised $123.2 billion in February.