Trump’s tariffs generate over $80 billion in revenue

President Trump’s tariff gamble is paying off for the United States, with revenues hitting levels not seen in generations. 

As reported by the Washington Times, U.S. Customs has collected over $106 billion from tariffs since January, with most of that coming directly from Trump’s historic “Liberation Day” tariffs.

For Trump, the revenues provide a tangible selling point for his bold effort to realign global trade and revitalize American manufacturing, a process that requires tradeoffs and time to show results.

Trump’s tariff haul

The revenue haul could also help Republicans defend Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which is expected to raise federal deficits by trillions of dollars.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, Trump’s tariffs would more than cover the cost of his tax bill over the next 10 years, provided tariffs remain in place (a big if, admittedly.)

Trump’s tariff haul marks a historic shift. Under Trump, tariff rates are their highest in over a century, and it shows: the Treasury Department says that $81.4 billion has been collected this fiscal year, which is $32 billion more than amount gathered at the same time last year.

“They have so much money coming in,” he said at a press conference last week.

Trump has even suggested tariffs could replace income taxes long-term, although the amount Trump has collected from tariffs, while substantial, falls short of the trillions that the government gathers every year from taxing income.

Trump beats predictions

Of course, tariffs are taxes, and it’s likely that American consumers are paying for some of this new revenue. But so far, Trump is beating economists’ gloomy predictions of runaway inflation, with prices on goods remaining mostly stable since Trump enacted his tariffs in April.

Trump paused most of his country-specific “reciprocal tariffs” for 90 days in early April, but he kept a 10% baseline tariff on all imported goods, and higher tariffs remain on imports from China and specific commodities like steel and aluminum.

The July 9 deadline to negotiate new trade deals is coming up, and Trump has said the pause won’t be extended. The return of higher tariff rates could bring more economic uncertainty across global markets, but a steady source of income for the United States is guaranteed.

Trump has said the eventual economic benefits of the tariffs will outweigh the near-term costs, and major companies are already starting to invest in America. This week, GE announced it is investing $500 million in Kentucky, creating 800 new jobs.

“We have companies coming in, factories coming in,” Trump said.