Bitcoin rebounds from U.S. session losses after Donald Trump claims the U.S. trade deficit has narrowed by 78%

Bitcoin remained volatile Thursday, climbing back toward $67,000 after briefly slipping to around $65,900, as traders reacted to fresh comments from U.S. President Donald Trump on trade and tariffs.

In a late Wednesday post on Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. trade deficit had been reduced by 78% due to tariffs and suggested it could swing into surplus later this year — a milestone he said would mark the first positive reading in decades.

For crypto markets, the precise accuracy of the figure was less important than the broader implications. The renewed focus on tariffs revives a familiar macro concern: trade levies can function like a tax on imports, potentially lifting consumer prices and complicating the Federal Reserve’s path on interest rates.

If investors begin to price in “higher-for-longer” rate expectations, the U.S. dollar typically strengthens while risk assets face headwinds. That dynamic has been evident in recent sessions, with bitcoin once again trading as a macro-sensitive asset rather than moving on crypto-specific developments.

There is also recent data feeding the debate. In early January, the U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply to roughly $29.4 billion — the smallest gap since 2009 — amid a decline in imports, firmer exports and the ripple effects of tariff threats. However, economists cautioned that a significant portion of the monthly improvement reflected fluctuations in non-monetary gold flows, which can distort headline figures without signaling a structural shift.

For now, the tariff narrative remains a swing factor. If it translates into a stronger dollar and tighter financial conditions, bitcoin rallies may struggle to gain traction. If it fades into political rhetoric, market attention is likely to shift back to liquidity, positioning and whether buyers can reclaim recently surrendered levels.

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