Jamaica Trade Deficit with the United States of America

In 2023, Jamaica imported goods worth approximately $3.13 Billion from the United States, accounting for 41% of its total imports. In 2023, Jamaica's total exports to the United States amounted to $709 Million. In 2023 Jamaica’s Balance of Trade with the USA was Negative US$2.4 billion. That is what Jamaica pumped into the US economy in 2023.

For the period of January to November 2024, Jamaica's total imports from the United States were valued at US$6.7 billion. In 2024, Jamaica's total exports to the United States were valued at $376.34 million. In 2024 Jamaica’s Balance of Trade with the USA was Negative US$6.32366 billion. That is the amount Jamaica pumped into the US economy!

Jamaica consistently runs a large balance of trade deficit with the USA. But the USA still placed 10% tariff on Jamaica’s small exports to the USA. The USA is punishing Jamaica even though we send billions to the USA every year, 20% at times over 30% of our GDP!

This Continued Balance of Trade with the USA is not Sustainable.

Jamaica must reduce our dependency on the USA. We have far too many eggs in America’s basket, and they are not afraid to smash them while bending us over the barrel and make us squeal. The USA have weaponized our dependency. 

By imposing sweeping global tariffs, Trump is hoping each country will come to him on bended knees, kiss the ring and agreeing to his America First Terms. If they do this, then Trump wins since any terms Trump agree will give the USA advantage at the expense of the groveling country. Being dependent on the USA is a weakness to be exploited and Trump loves to expose your weakness because it is the source of his strength.

The Groveling British:

An America First Trade deal will be the total invasion of American Industries to wipe out what remains of Brexit-British production sectors. Trump also said NHS must be on the table because the US health insurance lobbyist demands it. There is a lot more at stake than just US nasty Chlorine Chicken but because the UK is so desperate they cannot see it. 

All that groveling by the UK is an embarrassment to the Commonwealth. If the Commonwealth is to evolve then it cannot do so under UK leadership. Might as well take Trump up on his offer for America to join to join the Commonwealth. Why get stuck with the underling groveling minion when we could have the King Mafia Boss in charge. I read some in the UK Congratulating themselves that the Elected King only dropped 10% tariff on the UK. 

Brexit-Britain is Desperate, Irrelevant, Insignificant, and Isolated. Brexit-Britain made itself small, weak and Redundant.  Britain use to sit at the head of the table in one of the most powerful economic unions on earth. They were one of the Big-Three movers and shakers. The EU must circle the wagon and prepare for the coming onslaught. Trump love the weak and this is why he supported Brexit, to cut the UK from the herd and do them, deep, hard and fast! Now the UK is like a little minion, little-Brexit-Britain groveling and begging the USA for some relevance, chatting rubbish about “Special Relationship”.

A 50% reciprocal trade tariff on Lesotho, the highest levy on U.S.

I am still trying to understand why Trump imposed some of the harshest tariffs on some of Africa's weakest and poverty stricken countries. Lesotho, which Trump described in March as a country “nobody has ever heard of,” is one of the world’s poorest nations with a gross domestic product of just over $2 billion. It has a large trade surplus with the United States, mostly made up of diamonds and textiles, including Levi’s jeans. Its exports to the United States, which in 2024 totaled $237 million, account for more than 10% of its GDP. Oxford Economics said the textile sector, with some 40,000 workers, was Lesotho’s biggest private employer and accounted for roughly 90% of manufacturing employment and exports.

The volcanic Australian territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands in the Antarctic ended up with a 10% tariff. It has no human inhabitants, The penguins got off lightly, you might say. 

But Madagascar — one of the poorest nations in the world with gross domestic product (GDP) per head of just over $500 — meanwhile faces a 47% tariff on the modest $733 million of exports of vanilla, metals and apparel that it did with the U.S. last year.

Penguins Angry At Trump For Levying 10% Tariff On Their Empty Island

90 Day Tariff Pause

China exported approximately 14.8% of its total exports to the United States, with a value of $502 billion. Total exports: China's global exports in 2023 were $3.4 trillion. 85.2% is diversified all over the world. 

I wonder if Trump realizes that China plays the long game. Not bogged down by term limits and pending elections they can take their own sweet time. For an American President, 4 years is life. For China they can scratch their ball sack for 4 years and wait out Trump. Wanting to have a productive discussion about the way forward and agreeing to the way forward is not one and the same. Countries always have bilateral high-level discussion with the hopes of mutual beneficial agreements. But what is beneficial to one country might not be beneficial to another country. Trump’s terrorist tariff policy was not working for anyone, most of all the USA. It was a many on one policy. Yes, the one attacked the many, friend or foe, it matters not. Many responded with a reciprocal tariff on the one. Who was now being isolated more and more by the day.  The USA started this trade war from a position of pure Ignorance and an abundance of Arrogance. Thinking arrogantly that the world needed the USA more than the USA needed the world and the world could not breathe until Trump passes gas. This 90-day suspension is nothing but failure trying to be passed off as success and while they were at it make some money on the side through blatant illegal market manipulation.