US Global Tariff 2026
US global tariff policy in 2026 has reached a historic inflection point that no economist, trade analyst, or business leader could have fully anticipated even two years ago. What began as a sharp expansion of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum in 2018 has, by February 2026, evolved into the most sweeping reshaping of American trade barriers since the Great Depression. The US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on February 20, 2026, in Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump, that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the President authority to impose tariffs — striking down the legislative backbone behind the vast majority of President Trump’s reciprocal tariff campaign. Within hours of that ruling, President Trump announced a new 15% universal tariff on all US imports under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — a direct and immediate pivot to an alternative legal authority that sent shockwaves through global markets, trading partner capitals, and US import-dependent industries. Trump’s 15% universal tariff announcement is now the single most consequential active trade policy development of 2026, threatening to restore — and possibly exceed — the tariff burden that the Supreme Court had just struck down, while simultaneously testing the outer limits of a legal authority that has never been used at this scale in American history.
The economic ripple effects of US tariff statistics in 2026 are far-reaching and deeply data-driven. US Customs and Border Protection collected $287 billion in customs duties, taxes, and fees in calendar year 2025 — a staggering 192% increase over the $79 billion collected in calendar year 2024. Even after the IEEPA ruling, FY 2026 customs duties revenue had already hit $90 billion through December, running 332.2% ahead of the same period in FY 2025. Now, Trump’s proposed 15% universal tariff under Section 122 — if fully enacted — would push the US average effective tariff rate back above 10–12% and generate an estimated additional $300–$500 billion in annual tariff revenue, reversing much of the fiscal loss from the SCOTUS ruling and making it the most aggressive single-round tariff action in modern US history. Every major research institution — from the Yale Budget Lab and Tax Foundation to the Tax Policy Center and Penn Wharton Budget Model — has already confirmed that US tariffs are the single largest effective tax increase since 1993, and the Section 122 tariff announcement means that title could be dramatically reinforced before the end of 2026. This article compiles the latest verified US global tariff statistics for 2026, drawn exclusively from official government data and peer-reviewed nonpartisan US sources.
Interesting Facts: US Global Tariff 2026
| Fact Category | Key Finding |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Trump’s 15% Universal Tariff — February 2026 | President Trump announced a 15% universal tariff on ALL US imports under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 immediately after the SCOTUS IEEPA ruling on Feb 20, 2026 — the most sweeping tariff action in modern US history |
| Section 122 Tariff Duration & Scope | Section 122 allows tariffs up to 15% for 150-day periods on balance-of-payments grounds — covers every country and every product importing into the US |
| Section 122 Projected Annual Revenue | Trump’s 15% universal tariff projected to generate an estimated $300–$500 billion per year in additional tariff revenue if fully implemented |
| Section 122 Household Impact | Trump’s proposed 15% tariff would add an estimated $1,500–$2,500 per household annually on top of existing Section 232 burdens |
| SCOTUS IEEPA Ruling — February 2026 | Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Feb 20, 2026: IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs (Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump) |
| Calendar Year 2025 Tariff Revenue | $287 billion in customs duties, taxes & fees collected — up 192% from $79 billion in 2024 |
| FY 2026 Customs Duties (Through Dec) | $90 billion collected — up 332.2% vs the same period in FY 2025 |
| Average Effective Tariff Rate (Nov 2025) | 11.7% — highest since 1947 (includes IEEPA tariffs in effect through ruling) |
| Average Effective Rate Post-IEEPA Ruling | 9% — highest since approximately 1973 (Tax Policy Center, Feb 2026) |
| Effective Rate If Section 122 Enacted | Could rise to 12–15%+ — surpassing even the IEEPA peak and the highest rate since 1932 |
| China Effective Tariff Rate (Nov 2025) | 34.7% — highest of any major US trading partner (Penn Wharton, Feb 2026) |
| Steel & Aluminum Effective Rate | 39.8% — highest-tariffed product category in the US (Penn Wharton, Feb 2026) |
| Per-Household Tariff Burden 2026 | ~$900 per household (post-IEEPA; Tax Policy Center); $1,000–$1,300 under Section 232 tariffs alone (Tax Foundation) |
| US GDP Impact (Long-Run) | US economy persistently 0.3% smaller (~$90 billion annually in 2024$) due to remaining Section 232 tariffs (Yale Budget Lab) |
| 10-Year Revenue Projection (TPC) | $904 billion over FY 2026–2035 from remaining tariffs; $101 billion in FY 2026 alone (Tax Policy Center) |
| 10-Year Revenue Projection (Tax Foundation) | $490 billion (dynamic basis) from Section 232 tariffs over 2026–2035 (Tax Foundation, Feb 2026) |
| CBP Tariff Revenue Jan 20–Dec 15, 2025 | Over $200 billion collected since Trump’s inauguration through Dec 15, 2025 (CBP.gov official release) |
| USMCA Exemption Surge | 89% of Canadian and Mexican imports claimed USMCA exemption by November 2025 (Penn Wharton) |
| Payroll Employment Impact | ~1.3 million fewer payroll jobs projected by end of 2026 vs no-tariff baseline (Yale Budget Lab, Jan 2026) |
| Consumer Price Passthrough | 31%–63% for imported core goods; 42%–96% for durable goods (Yale Budget Lab, Feb 2026) |
Sources: Yale Budget Lab (updated Feb 18, 2026); Tax Policy Center Tariff Tracker (Feb 2026); Tax Foundation (Feb 21, 2026); Penn Wharton Budget Model (Feb 3, 2026); USAFacts (updated Feb 2026); CBP.gov official press release (Dec 2025); Richmond Fed Macro Minute (Jan 12, 2026)
The facts above reveal just how unprecedented US global tariff policy in 2026 truly is — and how volatile the landscape remains right now. The SCOTUS ruling on February 20, 2026 was the single most consequential legal development in US trade policy in decades, invalidating the IEEPA-based tariffs that had driven the average effective US tariff rate from 2.7% in 2022–2024 all the way to 11.7% by November 2025. But what makes this moment truly extraordinary is what happened next: within hours, President Trump announced his 15% universal tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — a deliberate and aggressive counter-move that signals his administration has no intention of stepping back from a high-tariff trade posture. Trump’s 15% tariff announcement is not a fallback; it is a declaration that the tariff war is entering a new, potentially more legally durable phase. If enacted in full, the Section 122 universal tariff of 15% would apply to every product from every country and would generate an estimated $300–$500 billion in additional annual revenue — dwarfing even the Section 232 framework currently in place and pushing the US effective tariff rate to levels not seen since before World War II.
What the facts table also makes clear is the sheer regressivity of the tariff burden across households. A $900–$1,300 average per-household burden sounds manageable in isolation, but under Trump’s proposed 15% universal tariff, that burden could jump to $2,400–$3,800 per household — with the weight falling hardest on the lowest-income Americans, who spend the highest share of their earnings on imported goods like apparel, electronics, and food. The Yale Budget Lab has already found that the short-run burden on the lowest income decile is more than three times that of the top income decile under the current tariff regime. A 15% blanket tariff — the broadest in scope ever announced by a US president — would dramatically amplify that inequality, making it the defining economic policy question of 2026.
US Tariff Revenue Statistics 2026
| Metric | FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 (Through Dec) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Customs Duties Revenue | ~$77 billion | $194.9 billion | $90 billion (partial year) |
| Year-over-Year Change | Baseline | +150% | +332.2% vs same period FY 2025 |
| Monthly Peak Collection | ~$7 billion (avg) | $30 billion (September 2025) | Elevated throughout |
| Calendar Year Net Revenue | $79 billion (2024) | $264–$287 billion (2025, per source) | Ongoing |
| New Tariff Revenue Above 2022–24 Avg | — | $194.8 billion (Jan–Nov 2025) | ~$20.1B added in Jan 2026 |
| Q4 2025 Collection Alone | — | $97.5 billion | — |
| Q4 2025 YoY Change | — | +281% vs Q4 2024 | — |
| Section 232 Share of Revenue | — | ~25–33% | Growing share post-IEEPA ruling |
| Revenue as % of Federal Deficit (FY 2025) | — | 9.6% of $1.9T deficit | — |
| Fiscal Deficit (% of GDP) | 6.9% | 5.4% (preliminary) | 5.8% projected (CBO) |
Sources: USAFacts (Feb 2026); Richmond Fed Macro Minute (Jan 12, 2026); Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (updated Feb 20, 2026); Yale Budget Lab (Feb 18, 2026); Tax Foundation (Feb 21, 2026); Congressional Budget Office
US tariff revenue in 2026 is running at levels that would have seemed impossible just three years ago. The $194.9 billion collected in FY 2025 smashed the previous customs duties record of $111.1 billion set in FY 2022, itself a record driven by the first wave of Trump-era China tariffs. The staggering $97.5 billion collected in Q4 2025 alone — a single quarter — highlights just how front-loaded and accelerated this tariff build-up has been. Monthly collections climbed from $7 billion in January 2025 to a peak of $30 billion by September 2025, tracking in near-lockstep with each new tariff announcement. The FY 2026 figure of $90 billion through December — already 332.2% above the same period in the prior year — signals that even after the IEEPA ruling, the remaining Section 232 tariff framework is generating revenue at historic rates. Now, with Trump’s 15% universal tariff under Section 122 announced on February 20, 2026, the FY 2026 full-year revenue total could shatter every prior record if the new tariffs clear legal challenge and are collected for the remainder of the fiscal year.
The relationship between US tariff revenue and the federal deficit is also worth dissecting carefully. While the fiscal deficit did narrow from 6.9% of GDP in FY 2024 to 5.4% in FY 2025, tariff revenues accounted for only 9.6% of the $1.9 trillion projected deficit — far less than the administration’s rhetoric implied. The CBO projects the deficit will rise again to 5.8% of GDP in FY 2026 even with elevated tariff collections, because the broader macroeconomic drag from tariffs erodes other tax revenue streams simultaneously. But if Trump’s proposed 15% Section 122 tariff is fully implemented and generates an additional $300–$500 billion per year, it would represent the single most significant fiscal revenue action in a generation — potentially reducing the annual deficit by 15–25% in isolation, though economists caution that the GDP-drag and retaliatory effects would substantially offset those gross gains.
US Tariff Rates by Country 2026
| Trading Partner | Pre-2025 Effective Rate | Peak 2025 Rate (IEEPA Period) | Post-IEEPA Effective Rate (2026) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🔴 ALL Countries — Section 122 (Proposed) | 2–3% baseline | N/A | 15% universal tariff proposed by Trump on Feb 20, 2026 | Pending — legal challenge expected |
| China | ~2–3% (excl. Section 301) | 34.7% (Nov 2025) | ~30% (Section 301 + 232 + fentanyl tariffs) | Active — plus potential Section 122 stacking |
| Canada | ~1–2% | 25% (IEEPA) | USMCA-exempt (89% of imports) | Partial — Section 122 could override USMCA exemptions |
| Mexico | ~1–2% | 25% (IEEPA) | USMCA-exempt (89% of imports) | Partial — Section 122 could override USMCA exemptions |
| European Union | ~3% | 15% (reciprocal, IEEPA) | Section 232 active + 15% Section 122 proposed | Escalating — retaliatory measures expected |
| Vietnam | ~2–3% | Rising sharply (6.3% of US import share Q3 2025) | Elevated + 15% Section 122 proposed | Increasing share of US imports |
| India | ~2–3% | 25% secondary tariff (Aug 2025) | Withdrawn Feb 2026 after Russian oil deal | Removed Feb 2026; re-exposure under Section 122 |
| UK | ~3% | 10% baseline reciprocal | 10% auto parts (negotiated) | Deal reached; may be renegotiated under Section 122 |
| Japan / South Korea | ~3% | Reciprocal baseline | 15% auto parts (negotiated) | Section 122 would supersede current deal |
| Rest of World | ~2–3% | 10% minimum reciprocal | Section 122: 15% proposed (post-IEEPA) | Pending legal/executive action |
Sources: Tax Foundation (Feb 21, 2026); Penn Wharton Budget Model (Feb 3, 2026); Wikipedia — Tariffs in the Second Trump Administration (updated Feb 22, 2026); Avalara US Tariffs by Country Guide (Feb 2026)
The country-level tariff rate picture in 2026 has been completely redrawn by two seismic events that occurred on the same day: the SCOTUS ruling striking down IEEPA tariffs and President Trump’s immediate announcement of a 15% universal tariff under Section 122. The Section 122 tariff — if enacted — would apply to every country and every product, making it the broadest tariff action in US history by design. Unlike the IEEPA tariffs that were country-specific or product-specific, Trump’s 15% Section 122 tariff is explicitly universal — it would hit Canada, the EU, Japan, the UK, Vietnam, and even countries with negotiated deals simultaneously. For China, which already carries a ~30% effective rate from stacked Section 301, Section 232, and fentanyl tariffs, the Section 122 15% addition could push the effective rate to 45%+ — a level that would virtually halt most remaining Chinese imports into the US and accelerate the ongoing economic decoupling.
The Canada and Mexico situation is more precarious than it may appear. While 89% of Canadian and Mexican imports claimed USMCA exemptions by November 2025, legal experts are already debating whether Section 122 — which is a balance-of-payments statute — supersedes USMCA treaty obligations under US domestic law. If the courts hold that it does, Canada and Mexico could face a 15% universal tariff despite their treaty protections, triggering an immediate USMCA renegotiation crisis and likely retaliatory tariffs that would hit American farmers, auto manufacturers, and energy exporters particularly hard. The EU, Japan, and South Korea, which believed they had secured negotiated tariff deals, now face the same uncertainty — their agreements may be rendered moot by a 15% Section 122 blanket tariff that overrides bilateral arrangements.
US Tariff Economic Impact Statistics 2026
| Economic Indicator | Measurement | Magnitude / Data Point |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Price Level Increase (Short-Run) | Pre-substitution | +1.2–1.3% (all 2025-26 tariffs) |
| Average Household Income Loss (Short-Run) | Per household | ~$1,300–$1,751 in 2025 dollars |
| Household Burden — Bottom Income Decile | Share of income | 3x higher than top decile burden |
| Apparel Price Increase (Short-Run) | Consumer goods | +37% short-run; +18% long-run |
| Motor Vehicle Price Increase | New car average | +$6,000 short-run; +$4,500 long-run (Yale Budget Lab, Aug 2025) |
| Food Price Increase | All food categories | +3.2% short-run; +2.9% long-run |
| US Real GDP Growth Impact — 2026 | Year-over-year | –0.4 percentage points slower (Yale Budget Lab, Jan 2026) |
| Long-Run US GDP Level Impact | Permanent reduction | –0.3% (~$90 billion annually in 2024$) |
| Long-Run US Manufacturing Output | Sector GDP change | +2.9% expansion |
| Long-Run US Construction Output | Sector GDP change | –4.1% contraction |
| Long-Run US Agriculture Output | Sector GDP change | –1.4% contraction |
| Unemployment Rate Impact — End 2026 | Percentage points higher | +0.7 pp vs no-tariff baseline |
| Payroll Employment Impact — End 2026 | Jobs lower vs baseline | ~1.3 million fewer jobs |
| US Exports Long-Run | Volume change | –16% below trend |
| Tariff Passthrough to Durable Goods Prices | Range of estimates | 42%–96% (Yale Budget Lab, Feb 18, 2026) |
Sources: Yale Budget Lab State of US Tariffs (Jan 19, 2026; updated Feb 18, 2026); Tax Foundation General Equilibrium Model (Feb 2026); Tax Policy Center Tariff Tracker (Feb 2026)
The economic impact of US tariffs in 2026 is written across every major macro indicator, and the data is sobering even after accounting for the IEEPA ruling removing the harshest reciprocal duties. The +1.2–1.3% consumer price level increase from all remaining 2025-26 tariffs translates to a real income loss of approximately $1,300–$1,751 per average US household in 2025 dollars — with the burden falling disproportionately on lower-income families, whose spending as a share of income makes them three times more exposed than top-decile households. The individual commodity impacts are even starker: apparel prices are 37% higher in the short run, new car prices have risen by up to $6,000, and food prices are up 3.2% — all of which compound against a backdrop of broader inflationary pressure that the Federal Reserve is forced to navigate carefully.
The long-run sectoral trade-off embedded in these tariffs is perhaps the most underreported story in the US global tariff statistics for 2026. While US manufacturing output expands by 2.9% in the long run — the stated goal of the tariff policy — this gain is more than offset by a 4.1% contraction in construction, a 1.4% decline in agriculture, and an overall permanent reduction in US GDP of 0.3% (equivalent to roughly $90 billion per year in perpetuity). The fact that payroll employment is projected to be 1.3 million lower by end-2026 relative to a no-tariff baseline raises serious questions about whether the manufacturing employment gains from trade protection are anywhere near large enough to offset the broader job losses in construction, services, and agriculture that flow from higher input costs and retaliatory trade measures.
US Tariff Revenue Projections 2026–2035
| Scoring Institution | Revenue Projection (2026–2035) | Basis | Key Assumption |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔴 Trump Section 122 — 15% Universal Tariff (Announced Feb 20, 2026) | ~$3.0–$4.5 trillion (estimated 10-year) | Estimated | Full 15% on all US imports if sustained and legally upheld |
| 🔴 Trump Section 122 — FY 2026 Alone (If Enacted) | ~$300–$500 billion additional | Estimated | 15% rate on ~$3.3 trillion annual US goods imports |
| Tax Policy Center | $904 billion | Conventional | Post-IEEPA; Section 232 only — does NOT include Section 122 |
| Tax Policy Center (FY 2026 only) | $101 billion | Conventional | Section 232 only — pre-dates Section 122 announcement |
| Yale Budget Lab | $246 billion FY 2026 (annual) | Conventional | Pre-Section 122 scenario; includes behavioral responses |
| Penn Wharton Budget Model | $323 billion in 2026 | Conventional | Closest proxy for Section 122 scenario |
| Tax Foundation (Section 232 only) | $490 billion over 2026–2035 | Dynamic basis | Post-IEEPA; Section 122 not yet included |
| Tax Foundation (incl. IEEPA, pre-ruling) | $2.1 trillion over 2026–2035 | Conventional | Had IEEPA tariffs remained |
| Yale Budget Lab (all 2025 tariffs, pre-ruling) | $2.7 trillion over 2026–2035 | Conventional | Pre-IEEPA ruling scenario |
| Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget | ~$900 billion | Conventional | Post-IEEPA; Section 122 not yet factored |
| Congressional Budget Office | ~$250 billion/year avg | Conventional | Pre-SCOTUS ruling; pre-Section 122 |
| American Action Forum | ~$250 billion/year | Real-world adjusted | As of December 2025; pre-Section 122 |
Sources: Tax Policy Center Tariff Tracker (Feb 2026); Yale Budget Lab (Feb 18, 2026); Penn Wharton Budget Model (Feb 3, 2026); Tax Foundation (Feb 21, 2026); Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (updated Feb 20, 2026); CBO; American Action Forum (Dec 2025)
The single most important variable in every US tariff revenue projection for 2026 is now Trump’s announced 15% universal tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. Every existing score — from the Tax Policy Center’s $904 billion to the Yale Budget Lab’s $2.7 trillion pre-IEEPA estimate — was calculated before February 20, 2026, and none of them factor in the Section 122 tariff announcement. If Trump’s 15% universal tariff is enacted, sustained, and upheld legally, it would generate an estimated $300–$500 billion in additional annual revenue and a 10-year total of $3.0–$4.5 trillion — making every currently published projection dramatically obsolete. The SCOTUS ruling instantly wiped out more than $1.2 trillion in projected decade-long tariff revenue by striking down IEEPA; the Section 122 tariff announcement threatens to add it all back and more. This is the single biggest reason why US tariff revenue statistics in 2026 will look completely different six months from now than they do today.
What makes Trump’s Section 122 tariff so legally and fiscally significant is that Section 122 has never been used at this scale in American history. The statute was designed for targeted, temporary balance-of-payments corrections — not a blanket universal import tax. The 150-day statutory limit embedded in Section 122 means that a 15% universal tariff would technically expire after five months unless renewed — but the Trump administration has signaled clearly that it views the 150-day window as a starting point, not a ceiling, and would renew or stack successive Section 122 proclamations to maintain the tariff indefinitely. Whether courts will permit this interpretation is the defining legal question of US trade policy in 2026, and the outcome will determine whether the Penn Wharton estimate of $323 billion in FY 2026 tariff revenue or the far more modest Tax Policy Center estimate of $101 billion turns out to be closest to reality.
US Tariff Household & Business Impact Statistics 2026
| Impact Category | Metric | Data Point |
|---|---|---|
| Average Household Burden — All Tariffs (Pre-IEEPA ruling) | Per household, 2026 | ~$900 (TPC); $1,000–$1,300 (Tax Foundation) |
| Average Household Burden — Including IEEPA (Pre-ruling) | Per household, 2026 | ~$2,100 (Tax Policy Center) |
| Bottom Quintile Federal Tax Rate Increase | Percentage points | +0.8 pp (TPC) |
| Top Quintile Federal Tax Rate Increase | Percentage points | +0.7 pp (TPC) |
| Services Sector Tariff Burden | Share of total tariff burden | ~1/6 of total (metals/computers used as inputs) |
| Retaliation Impact on US Exports (by Sep 2025) | US exports affected | $223 billion of US exports hit by retaliatory tariffs |
| Retaliatory Tariff Impact on Long-Run US GDP | GDP reduction | –0.2% additional (Tax Foundation) |
| Long-Run Manufacturing Output Gain | Sector GDP | +2.9% (Yale Budget Lab) |
| Long-Run Construction Output Loss | Sector GDP | –4.1% (Yale Budget Lab) |
| Long-Run Agriculture Output Loss | Sector GDP | –1.4% (Yale Budget Lab) |
| Tariff as Tax Increase % of GDP (2026, Section 232 only) | Federal revenue | +0.17% of GDP (~$53.8B) — Tax Foundation |
| Tariff as Tax Increase % of GDP (2026, incl. IEEPA pre-ruling) | Federal revenue | +0.54% of GDP (~$171.1B) — Tax Foundation |
| New Car Price Increase (Short-Run) | Consumer cost | +$6,000 on average 2024 new car |
| Fresh Produce Price Increase | Consumer cost | +7% short-run; +3.6% long-run |
Sources: Tax Policy Center Tariff Tracker (Feb 2026); Yale Budget Lab (Jan 19, 2026 and Feb 18, 2026); Tax Foundation General Equilibrium Model (Feb 2026)
When zooming in on what US tariffs actually cost American households and businesses in 2026, the data reveals a picture that is both more regressive and more economically disruptive than most public debate acknowledges — and that picture is about to get significantly worse if Trump’s 15% Section 122 tariff is enacted. The Tax Policy Center’s estimate of ~$900 average per-household burden in 2026 (post-IEEPA ruling) captures the direct consumer cost of remaining Section 232 tariffs, but Trump’s announced 15% universal tariff could push that burden to an estimated $2,400–$3,800 per household annually — with the steepest increases hitting apparel, electronics, home goods, and automobiles. The full pre-ruling burden of $2,100 per household was already straining lower-income families; a Section 122 universal tariff at 15% applied on top of remaining Section 232 duties would make the current tariff regime look modest by comparison.
The sectoral GDP trade-off represents one of the most important analytical frames for understanding US tariff business impact in 2026. The +2.9% manufacturing output gain is real and measurable — and it is the core argument the Trump administration makes for its tariff strategy. But it is dwarfed by a –4.1% construction contraction driven by soaring steel, aluminum, and lumber costs, and a –1.4% agriculture decline caused by retaliatory tariffs shutting out US farm exports. The $223 billion in US exports already hit by retaliatory measures as of September 2025 could expand dramatically if Trump’s 15% Section 122 universal tariff triggers a new wave of global retaliation — the EU alone has signaled $100–$200 billion in potential countermeasures, and if China, Canada, and Mexico join a coordinated retaliatory response, the net economic damage to US exporters could easily exceed the gross tariff revenue collected under Section 122.
US Tariff Trade Flow & Import Statistics 2026
| Trade Flow Metric | Pre-Tariff Baseline | 2025 / Early 2026 Data |
|---|---|---|
| Total Goods Imports (Oct 2025) | $289 billion/month (Oct 2024) | $274 billion/month — down 5.1% YoY |
| Real Imports vs Trend | Baseline | –7% below trend (June 2025, Yale Budget Lab) |
| China Share of US Goods Imports | ~25% (2017) | Below 10% (11 months of 2025) |
| Vietnam Share of US Goods Imports (Q3 2025) | 4.5% (prior year) | 6.3% — sharply rising |
| Canada/Mexico USMCA Exemption Rate | Stable through late 2024 | 89% of imports by November 2025 |
| US Goods Trade Deficit Change (2025 vs 2024) | — | Fell by only $2.1 billion vs 2024 |
| Goods Deficit Change (2025 vs 2024) | — | Increased by $25.5 billion YoY |
| Services Trade Surplus Change | — | Rose — offset goods deficit worsening |
| US Exports vs Trend | Baseline | –0.6% below trend (June 2025) |
| Long-Run US Export Decline | — | –16% below long-run baseline |
| Tariff-Exposed Industry Employment | — | Some signs of weakness vs pre-2025 trend |
| Non-Compliance Adjustment (TBL estimate) | — | –10% reduction applied to first-stage revenue |
Sources: Yale Budget Lab (Feb 18, 2026 and June 2025 reports); Richmond Fed Macro Minute (Jan 12, 2026); Penn Wharton Budget Model (Feb 3, 2026); Tax Foundation (Feb 21, 2026)
The US trade flow statistics for 2026 reveal a paradox at the heart of the tariff experiment: despite the most aggressive US import taxes in a generation, the US goods trade deficit actually grew by $25.5 billion in 2025 compared to 2024. The overall trade deficit narrowed by only $2.1 billion — and that was entirely because the services trade surplus expanded, not because goods imports fell meaningfully. This is not what tariff proponents predicted. The $274 billion monthly goods import figure in October 2025 was down just 5.1% year-over-year — a far more modest response than forecast. Now, with Trump’s 15% Section 122 universal tariff announced on February 20, 2026, economists at the Yale Budget Lab project US real imports could fall an additional 7–12% if the tariff is enacted — which would be the most abrupt import contraction since the early 1980s recession and would reshape global supply chains even more dramatically than the 2025 tariff wave.
The structural shift in US import sourcing is undeniable and accelerating. China’s share of US goods imports has collapsed from roughly 25% in 2017 to below 10% in 2025 — one of the most dramatic supply chain realignments in US trade history. The primary beneficiaries have been Vietnam (6.3% of US import share), Malaysia, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian nations absorbing redirected Chinese manufacturing. But Trump’s 15% Section 122 tariff covers every country without exception — meaning Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia would face the same 15% duty as China faces on its non-stacked tariff categories. This is a deliberate feature of the Section 122 universal tariff design: it eliminates the transshipment advantage that third countries have exploited to circumvent China-specific tariffs, and it signals that the Trump administration views the entire global import regime — not just trade with specific adversaries — as the target of its 2026 US tariff policy.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

