A January surge in imports will have a negative impact on GDP in the near term. A protracted trade war would drag down economic growth in the long run.
Over the weekend, President Trump announced he’d be moving forward with tariffs starting tomorrow. Then, Mexico and the U.S. struck a deal to delay those tariffs for one month as the two negotiate border security.
Sales of U.S. services to other countries help to redress the balance, along with foreign institutions that invest in the American stock market and debt.