Half of Americans See U.S. Trade Deficit as an Economic Emergency, Poll Finds

Nearly half of Americans view the nation’s large trade deficit as an economic emergency, according to a new poll released on Tuesday by the Alliance for American Manufacturing. The survey found that 47% of respondents believe the persistent U.S. trade deficit poses a major threat to the economy, with concern shared across political lines — 47% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans agreed on the issue. Conducted by Morning Consult in mid-October among 2,202 adults, the poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points.

The findings come as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on Wednesday over the legality of tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Trump invoked the emergency statute to impose sweeping tariffs, arguing that the $1.2 trillion U.S. goods trade deficit in 2024 constituted a national emergency. A lower court previously ruled that Trump exceeded his authority under the law, prompting the appeal to the nation’s highest court.

According to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the administration expects the Supreme Court to uphold the tariffs. However, if the court strikes them down, officials plan to rely on alternative tariff authorities, including Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows temporary 15% tariffs for up to 150 days to address trade imbalances. The debate underscores growing bipartisan anxiety over the impact of trade deficits on U.S. economic and national security.

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