In this week’s video, CNN’s Jake Tapper reviews President Donald Trump’s claim that the U.S. trade deficit with Canada is “close to $100 billion a year.” It’s not.
Video: U.S.-Canada Trade
Issues: trade
Trump Garbles Canadian Trade Stats
The official U.S. statistics on trade with Canada show that the United States has a trade surplus with our neighbor to the north. The U.S. surplus was $2.8 billion in 2017, according to the Census Bureau. Yet, President Donald Trump has claimed that the U.S. has “close to $100 billion a year loss with Canada” or $17 billion “minimum.”
Solar Hyperbole?
Three weeks after the Trump administration imposed a 30 percent tariff on imported solar energy cells and panels, the president claimed that “a lot of places are opening up” to “make solar panels again.” Two weeks later, he said that “we’re opening up at least five plants,” and by mid-April, the number had grown to “seven or eight.”
Trade Surplus in Cars with China
The United States had a trade surplus with China for passenger cars of $8.9 billion in 2017. Exports of cars to China totaled $10.5 billion, while imports from China were $1.6 billion. Yet President Donald Trump claimed that China “won’t take” U.S. cars.
Video: U.S.-Canadian Trade
This week, CNN’s Jake Tapper and FactCheck.org look at a claim that President Donald Trump has made more than once this month about U.S.-Canadian trade.
Trump’s Canadian Trade Tale
In making his case for renegotiating NAFTA, President Donald Trump told GOP donors that the U.S. has a trade surplus with Canada — but only because the trade balance “doesn’t include energy and timber.” That’s false.
FactChecking Trump’s MAGA Rally
In a campaign speech supporting the Republican candidate in a special House election in Pennsylvania’s 18th District, President Donald Trump made several false and misleading statements on a range of topics, from drug smuggling to the stock market.
Trump’s Trade Mistweet
President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. has “large trade deficits with Mexico and Canada,” which isn’t accurate. The U.S. actually runs a small trade surplus with Canada, and the deficit with Mexico isn’t all that large, relatively speaking.
Video: Trump’s State of the Union
This video reviews President Donald Trump’s claims in the State of the Union about trade, job creation, auto plants, wages, immigration and U.S. aid to developing countries.
FactChecking Trump’s Business Boasts
As President Donald Trump listed the accomplishments of his trip to Asia, one example remains a mystery. “Vietnam is ordering at least $12 billion worth of Boeings,” he said. But there is no evidence of that.