Imports Drop Sharply in August, Narrowing US Trade Deficit

Shipping containers are stacked as cranes unload cargo ships at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, Calif., on April 15, 2025. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump’s tariffs helped narrow the U.S. trade deficit in August as imports contracted more than 5 percent, new government data show.The trade gap plummeted by nearly 24 percent to $59.6 billion, down from $78.2 billion, according to a report released by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis on Nov. 19