4 days ago

Gita Gopinath Says 150-Day Tariffs 'Cannot Reduce Persistent Trade Deficits,' Rejects 'Heart Attack' Narratives For US Economy

Harvard Professor and former IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath has dismissed claims that the U.S. is facing a balance-of-payments (BoP) crisis, arguing that the administration's new 150-day tariffs are an ineffective tool for long-term economic stability.

Diagnosis: Cholesterol, Not A Heart Attack

Gopinath reframed the current U.S. trade gap through a medical lens, comparing persistent trade deficits to “chronically high cholesterol” while describing a true BoP crisis as a “heart attack”. She asserted that the U.S. currently suffers from the former but is nowhere near the latter.

“A 150-day tariff cannot reduce persistent trade deficits and the U.S. is not having a heart attack,” Gopinath posted on X, directly challenging the justification for invoking Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

I cannot speak to what is a 'legally' sound application of Section 122, however I can make the following economic points as there is much confusion about persistent US trade deficits and a balance of payment crisis. The difference is similar to suffering from chronically high…

— Gita Gopinath (@GitaGopinath) February 24, 2026