The U.S. trade deficit widened to $77.6 billion in May 2026, a 42.2% jump from April, as capital goods imports climbed to a record $128.0 billion. The surge was propelled largely by an artificial intelligence buildout that depends heavily on imported computing hardware, while exports slipped over the same month. Key Takeaways The goods and services deficit rose $23.0 billion in May to $77.6 billion, up from a revised $54.6 billion in April, per the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. Imports of capital goods reached a record $128.0 billion, with the increase concentrated in computer