china, even though it was intended to improve the trade balance. but it's not just china. the deficit has increased with most of our other trade partners, too. among the u.s. '15 biggest trading partners, the trade balance has moved in the wrong direction for trump in ten of those countries between 2016 and 2018, while the aggregate trade deficit has jumped from $503 billion to $628 billion. "the new york times" reports the american manufacturing sector contracted last month. a key measure showed on tuesday heightening fears that the trade war with china could bring on a recession. the last team of presidential economic advisers who had to deal with the effects of a recession is the obama team of economic advisers who came into office facing the worst recession since the great depression of the 1930s. our first guest tonight,