US trade deficit drops 1.7% last year to $616.8 billion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. trade deficit fell for the first time in six years in 2019 as President Donald Trump hammered China with import taxes.The Commerce Department said Wednesday that the gap between what the United States sells and what it buys abroad fell 1.7% last year to $616.8 billion. U.S. exports fell 0.1% to $2.5 trillion. But imports fell more, slipping 0.4% to $3.1 trillion. Imports of crude oil plunged 19.3% to $126.6 billion.The deficit in the trade of goods with China nar