>>176305, >>176306, >>176307, >>176308, >>176309, >>176310, >>176311, >>176312, >>176313, >>176314, >>176315, >>176316, >>176317, >>176318, >>176319, >>176320, >>176321, >>176322, >>176323, >>176324, >>176325, >>176326, >>176327, >>176328, >>176329, >>176330, >>176331, >>176332, >>176333, >>176334, >>176335, >>176336, >>176337, >>176338, >>176339, >>176340, >>176341, >>176342, >>176343, >>176344, >>176345, >>176346, >>176347, >>176348, >>176349, >>176350, >>176351, >>176352, >>176353, >>176354, >>176355, >>176356, >>176357, >>176358, >>176359, >>176360, >>176361, >>176362, >>176363, >>176364, >>176365, >>176366, >>176367, >>176368, >>176369, >>176370, >>176371, >>176372
• The situation is getting worse.
+ In 2024, the United States maintained a current account deficit of -4.0% of gross domestic product (GDP), almost double the current account deficit of approximately -2.0% that prevailed between 2013 and 2019, and larger than 2019 to 2024.
+ As a share of GDP, the 2024 current account deficit represented the biggest annual current account deficit since 2008.
• Compounding these challenges is the decline in the U.S. net international investment position.
+ At the end of 2024, the U.S. net international investment position was $26 trillion, which was 89% of U.S. GDP. This means that if all of the obligations to foreigners that the United States has incurred were to come due today, and even if all of the foreign assets that the U.S. owns could be instantly deployed as payment, the United States would still end up needing to make payments equal to 89% of its annual economic output in order to meet its obligations. This represents the most negative net international investment position of any country on Earth.
• If left unaddressed, these fundamental international payment problems can, among other things, endanger the ability of the United States to finance its spending, erode investor confidence in the economy, distress the financial markets, and endanger U.S. economic and national security.
CONTINUING TO UTILIZE TARIFFS TO PROTECT U.S. INTERESTS: Tariffs will continue to be a critical tool in President Trump’s toolbox for protecting American businesses and workers, reshoring domestic production, lowering costs, and raising wages.
• The Supreme Court’s disappointing decision today will not deter the President’s effort to reshape the long-distorted global trading system that has undermined the economic and national security of our country, and contributed to fundamental international payment problems.
• Since Day One, President Trump has challenged the assumption that the United States must tolerate the distorted and imbalanced global trading system.
• The President’s trade policy brought the world to the negotiating table on our terms.
+ As a result of the President’s tariffs, major U.S. trading partners covering more than half of global GDP have agreed to historic trade and investment deals to open new markets for U.S. exports, promote manufacturing reshoring, and bring reciprocity and balance to our trade relations.
+ These deals are creating high-paying American jobs, boosting U.S. manufacturing and technological leadership, and will deliver massive returns for American workers and families for decades to come.
+ In particular, the United States will continue to honor its legally binding Agreements on Reciprocal Trade. The United States expects the same commitment from its trading partners. While the domestic legal authorities to impose future tariffs will change, the overall direction of travel for the United States—reshoring domestic production and expanding market access abroad through a combination of tariffs and deals—will not.
• Today’s action will continue to protect the national interests of the United States by addressing the balance-of-payments deficit to further usher in America’s Golden Age.
Distributed on February 21st, 2026.
https://x.com/WHPressPool/status/2025003897907986440