US Treasury Sec. Bessent says US tariff revenue could reach $300 billion this year

Lallalit Srijandorn FXStreet

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke late Tuesday at a White House cabinet meeting. Bessent said that the United States has already received around $100 billion in tariff revenue this year and could see that total surge to $300 billion by the end of 2025, driven by US President Donald Trump’s escalating trade measures.

Bessent noted that the bulk of new tariff income only began in the second quarter (Q2). He added that the Congressional Budget Office projects $2.8 trillion in tariff income over a decade, but he believes that estimate is likely too conservative.

Market reaction

At the time of writing, the US Dollar Index (DXY) is trading 0.04% higher on the day to trade at 97.53.

Tariffs FAQs

What are tariffs?

Tariffs are customs duties levied on certain merchandise imports or a category of products. Tariffs are designed to help local producers and manufacturers be more competitive in the market by providing a price advantage over similar goods that can be imported. Tariffs are widely used as tools of protectionism, along with trade barriers and import quotas.

What is the difference between taxes and tariffs?

Although tariffs and taxes both generate government revenue to fund public goods and services, they have several distinctions. Tariffs are prepaid at the port of entry, while taxes are paid at the time of purchase. Taxes are imposed on individual taxpayers and businesses, while tariffs are paid by importers.

Are tariffs good or bad?

There are two schools of thought among economists regarding the usage of tariffs. While some argue that tariffs are necessary to protect domestic industries and address trade imbalances, others see them as a harmful tool that could potentially drive prices higher over the long term and lead to a damaging trade war by encouraging tit-for-tat tariffs.

What is US President Donald Trump’s tariff plan?

During the run-up to the presidential election in November 2024, Donald Trump made it clear that he intends to use tariffs to support the US economy and American producers. In 2024, Mexico, China and Canada accounted for 42% of total US imports. In this period, Mexico stood out as the top exporter with $466.6 billion, according to the US Census Bureau. Hence, Trump wants to focus on these three nations when imposing tariffs. He also plans to use the revenue generated through tariffs to lower personal income taxes.

Author

Lallalit Srijandorn

FXStreet

Lallalit Srijandorn is a Parisian at heart. She has lived in France since 2019 and now becomes a digital entrepreneur based in Paris and Bangkok.

AUD/USD drops to two-week low, further below 0.7000 after RBA's less hawkish rate hike

AUD/USD drifts lower for the second straight day on Tuesday, hitting a fresh two-week low during the Asian session after the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) widely expected 25 bps rate hike. The decision was far from unanimous, with three members preferring to hold rates at 4.60%. This tempers expectations of further tightening, which, along with modest US Dollar strength, weighs on the currency pair.

USD/JPY fails near 159.00 amid weak USD, intervention risks

USD/JPY edges lower during Tuesday’s Asian session, reversing part of the previous day's gains to 158.00 as the US Dollar remains depressed amid hopes for Iran diplomacy and ahead of US midterm elections. Meanwhile, intervention risks support the Japanese Yen, though the uncertainty over the timing of the next BoJ rate hike caps gains. This keeps the pair confined within a familiar range and warrants caution before placing directional bets.

Gold struggles near $3,900 as traders assess Middle East developments,US election risks

Gold (XAU/USD) loses momentum on Tuesday as Oil prices rebound after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported a US strike on Iran’s Qeshm Island. At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades around $3,909, down 0.93% on the day.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP under pressure as investors pull capital

Bitcoin trades downward at $76,566 on Tuesday, testing six-week lows. Ethereum, like Bitcoin, trades under pressure as it consolidates within a narrow support range. Meanwhile, Ripple hovers marginally above $1.25.

BoE is set to hike rates this week: Warns against 'unwarranted' aggressive tightening

We see a hike as a done deal this week and another, while not yet our baseline scenario, is possible in February should inflation stay above 4%, commodity prices remain high and activity remain resilient. We remain of the view, however, that aggressive tightening is unwarranted, for four main reasons: There are no clear signs of second-round inflation effects, nor do we think that there will be.

The 2% inflation target came from a throwaway remark. It now moves trillions

The Federal Reserve's 2% inflation goal grew out of an off-the-cuff remark by a New Zealand politician in 1988. Bond investors still price long-term US debt as if 2% holds, so a change in how the Fed measures inflation would move markets.