CGTN Poll: Highest tariffs create largest trade deficit, over 90% respondents say Trump's tariff policy a failure

On February 20 local time, the United States Supreme Court struck down the most representative tariff policy of President Donald Trump's second term. Currently, U.S. tariff rates are at their highest level since the 1940s. Ironically, the U.S. goods trade deficit hit a record high of $1.2409 trillion last year. The highest tariffs intended to narrow the trade deficit have instead produced the largest deficit, and the gap is likely to continue widening. A survey conducted by CGTN shows that 94.7 percent of respondents believe the tariff policy under "America First" has been a complete failure.

The tariff policy in Trump's second term aimed to achieve three goals: reducing dependence on foreign goods, encouraging domestic investment and reversing a decades-long decline in manufacturing jobs. A year later, all three goals have fallen short. Since last year, the U.S. has imposed high tariffs on goods from dozens of countries, yet the trade deficit persists. In December 2025, the U.S. goods and services trade deficit stood at $70.3 billion, increasing for the second consecutive month.

In the survey, 91.2 percent of respondents said tariffs do nothing to balance the U.S. trade structure; while 86.7 percent pointed out that the U.S. trade deficit is primarily influenced by domestic economic policies. Affected by U.S. tariff policies, companies have adjusted order routes and restructured supply chains but have not yet moved production lines back to the U.S. on a large scale. Meanwhile, American manufacturers have cut more than 80,000 jobs in the past year. In response, 93.4 percent of respondents agreed that U.S. manufacturing has not returned, and tariff policies have instead accelerated the hollowing out of the industry; 92.5 percent said U.S. tariff policies will severely drag down both its own and global economy.

Tariffs are not only a signature domestic economic policy of Trump's second term but also a tool for exerting maximum external pressure and pursuing America's interests. After the ruling was announced, California Governor Gavin Newsom is now calling on Trump to refund Americans their money immediately, with interest, while Canadian Minister of International Trade Dominic LeBlanc welcomed the decision. However, Trump moved quickly to sign an executive order imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on all goods imported into the U.S. for 150 days, replacing certain emergency tariffs deemed illegal by the Supreme Court.

In the survey, 88 percent of respondents criticized the U.S. for weaponizing trade rules, calling it a true reflection of the hegemonic "America First" behavior; 92.9 percent said the frequent changes to U.S. tariff policies and their uncertainty would exacerbate global economic risks; 97 percent condemned U.S. tariff policies for seriously violating the legitimate rights and interests of other countries, undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system, and labeling the U.S. as the biggest disruptor of the multilateral trading system.

This survey was launched on CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian platforms, attracting 10,445 respondents to participate within 24 hours.