US tariff revenue hits 2025 record $30 billion in August

The U.S. tariff revenues have soared to over $30 billion in August, marking the highest monthly total for 2025 so far. The total tariff revenue for the year has surpassed $183 billion, according to the latest data released by the Treasury Department.

The steady increase in tariff revenues from April to July has been significant, with the U.S. potentially collecting as much revenue in just a few months as it did in the entire previous year. Comparatively, tariff revenues for this time in 2025 were at $86.5 billion for the fiscal year.

Tariff revenue growth coincides with a recent federal appeals court ruling that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority by imposing global tariffs using emergency powers. The court ruled that the power to set tariffs lies with Congress or existing trade policy frameworks.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, while the tariffs remain in place until Oct. 14. This ruling challenges Trump’s trade policy, which heavily relies on tariffs to generate revenue and influence foreign trade partners.

Trump has emphasized that tariff revenue could offset costs and boost the economy. Treasury Secretary Scott Betting has suggested using part of the revenue to reduce the national debt, which currently stands at approximately $37.2 trillion as of August 18.