Trump claims reciprocal tariffs rake in $3B a day — but it’s actually much lower

President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs person added a full of $500 cardinal to US coffers since April 5 — a fraction of nan $3 billion-a-day that he bragged his sweeping levies person generated.

The existent figures were released Wednesday by Customs and Border Protection, nan agency charged pinch collecting each tariffs, including Trump’s “reciprocal” levies, astatine nan constituent of entry.

CBP said nan $500 cardinal from reciprocal tariffs – taxes US firms salary connected overseas imports – contributed to “more than $21 cardinal successful full tariff gross from 15 statesmanlike waste and acquisition actions implemented since Jan 20, 2025.”

Customs and Border Protection said it has collected complete $500 cardinal from nan caller reciprocal tariffs since April 5. AFP via Getty Images

That’s astir $245 cardinal for each of nan 86 days, done Wednesday, since Trump took agency — counting abstracted duties imposed connected aluminum and alloy imports, and overseas vehicles.

Trump announced 10% across-the-board tariffs and stiffer reciprocal taxes connected cardinal trading partners during his “Liberation Day” arena astatine nan White House connected April 2. The 10% tariffs went into effect April 5. The 25% levy connected overseas cars kicked successful April 3.

He paused nan higher reciprocal tariffs connected each countries connected April 9 — isolated from for China, which was slapped pinch a 145% work aft Beijing retaliated pinch a 125% connected US goods.

The most precocious disposable figures from nan Treasury Department besides autumn acold short of nan president’s estimate.

According to its regular connection of full deposits, nan section recorded $250 cardinal nether “Customs and Certain Excise Taxes” connected Tuesday, aft netting $305 cardinal nan erstwhile day.

The discrepancy betwixt what Trump has claimed has been brought successful and what nan bottommost statement shows could beryllium due, successful ample part, to a alteration successful imports. 

US import bookings connected monolithic instrumentality ships dropped 64% from March 24-31 to April 1-8, according to container-tracking package supplier Vizion.

President Trump connected April 2 unveiled his caller reciprocal tariffs during a property convention successful nan Rose Garden. REUTERS

Many companies rushed to stockpile equipment successful nan weeks up of nan tariffs. Now, immoderate whitethorn beryllium delaying orders while they usage up that inventory and await clarity from Trump’s 90-day region connected nan stiff reciprocal tariffs.

Small business owners person said they are pushing disconnected orders for overseas equipment because they can’t spend nan hefty charges.

Amazon has canceled immoderate orders from China for summertime play items, while toymakers are putting disconnected their Christmas imports.