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Forget Epstein: Trump’s tariffs fuel a $27 billion surplus that even the 'MAGA' media ignores
American Thinker ^ | 07/17/2025 | Joseph Ford Cotto

Posted on 07/17/2025 11:01:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

While headlines chase shadows and social media churns with conspiracies about Jeffrey Epstein, something far more serious—yet underreported—is unfolding: America just ran a budget surplus in June.

That’s right — the U.S. government, long buried under record-breaking deficits, posted a $27 billion surplus, the first for that month in eight years. And it wasn’t a fluke. It was driven largely by one policy move: tariffs.

Back in April, critics warned that Donald Trump’s newly announced “Liberation Day” tariffs would tank the economy.

Instead, those tariffs have proven to be a financial engine.

Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to declare a national emergency over the trade deficit, which hit $1.2 trillion in 2024. Beginning April 5, his administration imposed a 10% tariff on all imports, followed by higher, targeted tariffs on 57 nations.

The immediate outcry was deafening.

Opponents forecast inflation, shortages, and recession.

But they were wrong. The data tells the story.

In April alone, tariff collections reached $15.6 billion, nearly double what came in the same month a year prior. Businesses adapted quickly, and retail inventories even rose by 0.3%, suggesting companies were learning to navigate the new trade landscape. Meanwhile, core inflation stayed tame at 2.7%, far below the apocalyptic projections.

In fact, the inflation narrative collapsed entirely. By June, despite customs duties totaling $113.3 billion for the year, inflation remained steady at 2.7%, while tariffed goods like electronics saw only a 12.3% price uptick — well below the inflation many feared. Food prices? Up just 6.2%, and domestic dairy? A modest 2%–3% increase.

Even consumer confidence held strong, supported by real gains for workers. Manufacturing wages climbed 7.8% compared to pre-tariff levels, as domestic production surged. Steel alone added 47,000 jobs since the tariffs took effect.


(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: budget; commerce; epsteindistraction; surplus; tariffs; taxes; trade
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To: TornadoAlley3
And how many males, on this site, when a "TEACHER/MALE STUDENT SEX THREAD" post that they wish it were them, and worse, even when the boy is as young a s12? MANY!

The hypocrisy and prurient posts re Epstein are disgusting and stupid.

Your post is spot on!

21 posted on 07/17/2025 12:24:53 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: odawg

Yes, the IDIOTS here don’t understand ANYTHING at all, about this, nor many other topics as well; sadly.


22 posted on 07/17/2025 12:27:28 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons

So, does that make it right? Are the same people who say they wish it were them also demand the truth come out in the Epstein case?


23 posted on 07/17/2025 12:32:00 PM PDT by Dat
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To: so_real

I want everything released. But if it’s not, I’ll not turn on Trump because of it.


24 posted on 07/17/2025 12:34:43 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3 ( I'm Proud To Be An Okie From Muskogee)
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To: nopardons

Thank you, nopardons-I’m going to borrow part of that, if you don’t mind-because I’ve been saying something similar-that pedophilia involves sex with pre-pubertal kids-as in under 11-12 years old-NOT girls 14 and up...


25 posted on 07/17/2025 12:37:10 PM PDT by Texan5 ("You've got to saddle up your boys, you've got to draw a hard line"... )
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To: odawg

Amen, some Conservatives get so self-rightious they begin to act like liberals if everything doesn’t go their way.


26 posted on 07/17/2025 12:39:34 PM PDT by bray (It's not racist to be racist against races the DNC hates.)
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To: TornadoAlley3

I want everything released. But if it’s not, I’ll not turn on Trump because of it.

On that we agree completely. I'll not turn against Trump either. But I will desperately try to catch his ear, because his DOJ is telling him that the Epstein materials are criminally polluted, while telling us (MAGA) that there are no materials "nothing to see here move along". And then, when Trump reveals that he has been told that the materials are corrupt, his advisors whisper in his ear that only a fringe of supporters trust him enough to wade through it like we did with the previous hoaxes (that were litigated publicly in the media and in the courts where he emerged unscathed and more powerful than ever). He is being encouraged to bury this without it ever seeing the light of day instead of being forthright and honest as he was before and gaining followers for being so. Our POTUS is being lied to by people he trusts. It's Pence and Fauci all over again (which we were unrelenting in pursuing as well). He doesn't realize that he needs our noise today, but he does just like he did when he was lied to before. He needs our help, and I for one, am willing to offer it up even if it costs me the slings and arrows of FRiends.


27 posted on 07/17/2025 12:46:44 PM PDT by so_real ( "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.")
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To: so_real

As nopardons posted-”There’s never been proof, nor even talk about “LITTLE CHILDREN”, by anyone, except for posters here.” Teen girls are not little kids-pedophilia involves kids who are younger than 11-12-they have not reached puberty-that is what makes it a crime that can carry a life sentence, as it should. Trafficking teen girls for prostitution/raping them is a crime, but it is not pedophilia. Lots of the same people peddling this also believed pizzagate was real instead of just another internet/Q creation...


28 posted on 07/17/2025 12:47:50 PM PDT by Texan5 ("You've got to saddle up your boys, you've got to draw a hard line"... )
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To: Dat
Yes, there are some posters in both camps.

And this whole Epstein thing is a damned DISTRACTION, meaningless IN THE EXTREME,because everyone is forgetting about the girls...now adult women, who will be exposed. And IF they aren't named, they'll have to relieve it.

And then there is the fact that the files, IF THERE ARE ANY FILES, probably doesn't list anything incriminating......just names of anyone and most of the people that Epstein EVER had ANY KIND of contact with.

29 posted on 07/17/2025 12:50:08 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: Texan5
You're welcome and DO use it!

The prurient and frankly MORBID intensity many posters have in this case, is a MENTAL ILLNESS!

There are few FACTS, so they imagine all kinds of things.None of them even know any hard, cold FACTS about Virginia, that the ONLY picture of her and Prince Andrew is a PHOTOSHOPPED one, and that she was paid off, to make her go away and go away.This entire thing was a blackmail scheme that worked.

At the supposed time that Virginia was claimed to have been with Andrew, she was 17...THE LEGAL AGE OF SEXUAL CONSENT IN THE UK!

30 posted on 07/17/2025 12:58:34 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: Texan5

Even if you are correct, are you suggesting that it's all good because the kids being raped were older than 12? Wait. What? That would be some very odd mental gymnastics being performed to make this okay based on the word "little" in "little children". Even Bondi alluded to the videos collected being "child porn". You're making a strange point.


31 posted on 07/17/2025 12:59:39 PM PDT by so_real ( "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.")
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To: so_real

Yawn


32 posted on 07/17/2025 1:00:09 PM PDT by cowboyusa (YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA, AND HE WILL HAVE NO ODS BEFORE HIM!)
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To: so_real

You’ll desperately try to catch is ear? He needs you?

No. Creepy. Trump has much bigger fish to fry.


33 posted on 07/17/2025 1:00:48 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3 ( I'm Proud To Be An Okie From Muskogee)
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To: so_real

They were NOT “RAPED”, as opposed to two American women, that we know of, who WERE RAPPED, by Bill Clinton, who NEVER went to jail for doing that!


34 posted on 07/17/2025 1:01:29 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons
If this wasn't happening to the Trump administration and was happening in the Biden administration, what would be the reaction?

The Attorney General brings out a physical file and says they have the list and then the president goes out after several months and completely contradicts what was said earlier.

No matter the outcome, this has caused enormous damage. Trump was never very good at choosing staff, and now even people who were sympathetic to him are starting to think everyone associated with him are idiots.

35 posted on 07/17/2025 1:10:27 PM PDT by Dat
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To: Dat
I pointed out the Clinton mess and you come back with THIS TRIPE?

What IF ( never ever would have happened ! ) this came out when Biden or even wee barry were presidents...would I care?

NO!

WHY?

Because NOTHING would have been done to the supposed clients. But...IF under either of those two men, TRUMP would have been put on trial and yes, I would have cared about that.

You asked a REALLY stupid query!

Worry about Canada; you aren't an American and for an "old timer" here, you are politically clueless, which was once NOT the "norm"!

36 posted on 07/17/2025 1:19:58 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: SeekAndFind
Tariffs or fear of tariffs have - laptop DDR4 3200mhz 2x16GB `-zooming. You cannot even get this for Crucial brand at Amazon


37 posted on 07/17/2025 1:20:30 PM PDT by dennisw (There is no limit to human stupidity)
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To: Wuli

How many surpluses have we had in the past 15 years?


38 posted on 07/17/2025 1:21:07 PM PDT by Chgogal (Voting Democrat is suicidal.)
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To: nopardons
I don't like hypocrisy. Being a Canadian I am not beholden to Trump as the ultimate good in and of himself. Too many people's egos are getting caught up in this one man's ego. It has really gotten to the point where even questioning his decisions is seen as a personal attack on his supporters.

There is a certain point where a political movement doesn't become about the principles, and it becomes about a parasocial relationship. For all the American talk about not being an aristocracy and having cast off the British system, both Democrats and Republicans like to make idols of their presidents in a way that most countries, even constitutional monarchies, don't.

39 posted on 07/17/2025 1:26:36 PM PDT by Dat
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To: Chgogal

June 2025: The federal government reported a surplus of $27 billion. This was a decrease of $98 billion from the deficit recorded in June 2024. Timing shifts related to June 1 falling on a Saturday in both 2024 and 2025 affected the reported numbers. Adjusting for these shifts would have resulted in a deficit of $70 billion in June 2025.

May 2015: The Treasury Department reported a surplus of $156.7 billion. This was the largest surplus since April 2008.

The US government operates on a fiscal year that begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the following year.
Important Considerations:

Adjustments for Timing Shifts: Monthly budget figures can be affected by the day of the week certain payments or receipts occur, and adjusting for these “timing shifts” can provide a more accurate picture.

Cumulative Deficit: Despite occasional monthly surpluses, the US government has consistently run a cumulative fiscal year deficit since 2001. The cumulative fiscal year 2025 deficit was $1.4 trillion at the end of May 2025.


40 posted on 07/17/2025 1:29:05 PM PDT by Wuli (uire)
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