The US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has raised its forecast for the country's budget deficit in 2026 by $200 billion to $2.1 trillion, according to the organization's monthly report.
The office attributed the change from its February projections to customs services collecting a "smaller than expected" amount of import duties. Overall, experts estimate that in 2026, customs services will receive about $250 billion less from duties and fees than previously projected.
Meanwhile, federal spending from October 2025 through July 2026 totaled more than $6.2 trillion, exceeding the 2025 figure by $209 billion. This is attributed to an increase in social benefit payments.