As President Donald Trump completes one year in office today, January 20, new customs data show his tariff-driven approach has coincided with a sharp drop in U.S. trade with nearly 40% of the world.
The data reveal that from January to October 2025, the United States cut trade turnover with 86 out of 232 trading partners—representing a decline in trade with 37% of global jurisdictions. The broad scope of the downturn suggests that Trump’s protectionist policies are not just reshaping trade with a few rivals, but shrinking American commerce across multiple regions.
Across Asia and the Middle East, the declines were steep. East Asia saw large drops with Laos (-54%), Brunei (-24.2%), and China (-23.2%). In Central Asia, trade fell sharply with Mongolia (-43.6%), Tajikistan (-29.3%), and Kazakhstan (-15.7%). In the Middle East, Yemen’s trade with the U.S. fell 55.9% and Iran’s dropped 38.5%.
Some of the most extreme contractions occurred in politically sensitive or conflict-affected regions. Trade with the Gaza Strip collapsed 177-fold, down to just $2,600. In Africa, several countries saw dramatic declines: Eritrea (-88.8%), South Africa (-68.1%), and Tanzania (-63.4%).
Europe also felt the impact, with 12 European economies reporting sharp drops in trade, including Monaco (-67.5%) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (-60%). Greenland led the declines, falling 86.6%—a notable figure as Trump has renewed tariff threats against the territory, prompting EU lawmakers to consider delaying approval of a trade deal with the United States.
Trump has positioned tariffs as a way to protect American industry and secure better trade terms, but the latest figures suggest the policy may be isolating the United States from major markets and weakening long-standing global commercial ties.
