Or maybe the fact there never was an actual trade deficit? That the "trade deficit" is a mathematical byproduct of things like the US Dollar being the world's reserve currency? Something that the USA wants, but as a byproduct makes American goods more expensive abroad, hence fewer people buying (slipshod) American products?

I guess we'll see as the USA reaches the point where people stop using US dollars as a basis currency how quickly that trade deficit vanishes when the US dollar plunges into a hole.