The U.S. trade deficit with the rest of the world jumped to a 10-year high last year.<br />This comes despite President Trump's "America First" policies aimed at shrinking the trade gap and increasing American exports. <br />Data from the Commerce Department showed the deficit in 2018 soared to 621 billion dollars.<br />The deficit in goods and services during December also hit a near 10-year high of nearly 60 billion dollars.<br />The rise was in part due to factors out of President Trump's control, such as a global economic slowdown and a relatively strong greenback. <br />Both have weakened foreign demand for American goods and services.<br />But, Trump's one and-a-half billion-dollar tax cut and the trade war he escalated last year have also played a part. <br />
