Fact-check · Oct 1, 2026 · Donald Trump
“Our trade deficit with China has plummeted to the lowest level that we've had in forty four years”
FALSE
What the record shows
US goods trade deficit with China was $202.7 billion in 2025, lowest since 2005 (20 years), per Census Bureau and USTR. Deficit has existed since at least 1985.
Claim states 44 years; sources confirm only 20 years (since 2005). Overstates historical comparison by more than double.
Sources
- Trump’s Tariffs Send US Trade Deficit With China to 21-Year Low
- US-China trade deficit falls to 20-year low
- U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, July 2026
- USTR Jamieson Greer Sets Record Straight on U.S-China Trade Imbalance - The Last Refuge
- U.S. Trade Deficit Falls To Lowest Level Since First Quarter Of 2020
- US, China Strike $30 Billion Trade Framework as Deficit Falls
From: President Trump Participates in a Site Visit, Oct. 1, 2026
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