The U.S. trade deficit in goods widened to a record high in December, likely as businesses front-loaded imports of industrial supplies and consumer goods in anticipation of broad tariffs from President Donald Trump's new administration.

The U.S. posted a record trade deficit in good in 2024, spotlighting what is likely to be running sore spot under the second administration of President Trump.

The deterioration in the goods trade deficit reported by the Commerce Department on Wednesday raises the risk of a sharper slowdown in gross domestic product growth in the fourth quarter than economists had anticipated.