Laura Ingraham: “Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit decreased $189.3 billion, or 33.8 percent, from the same period in 2025.…
Laura Ingraham: “Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit decreased $189.3 billion, or 33.8 percent, from the same period in 2025. Exports increased $198.3 billion or 11.7 percent. Imports increased $9.0 billion or 0.4 percent.” SO…
Assessment
Trump is celebrating a sharp drop in the U.S. trade deficit, citing data from Laura Ingraham that shows exports rising far faster than imports in the first half of 2026 compared to 2025. He credits his tariffs for the shift, arguing they are strengthening manufacturing rather than hurting the economy. The numbers he presents are striking, but they compare a period before his latest trade actions took full effect against one where they were in place. Watch for independent confirmation of these figures and for how trading partners respond to the widening export gap.