President Trump's First Year, in 14 Metrics

We love data here at Bloomberg View, and think facts should support opinions instead of the other way around. Now we know that's an old-fashioned idea, and it's one that's been put to the test in the 12 months since President Donald Trump moved into the Oval Office. But we're not giving up! Last year our columnists selected a range of conventional and whimsical metrics by which to judge the success of the new president. We revisit them here. Bottom line: By these measures, he's doing better than his opponents will admit and worse than his supporters believe.

Like any president, Trump is taking credit for good economic news. He's highlighted rising stocks and falling unemployment. But Trump also, famously, regards trade deficits as a sign of economic weakness. And for people who worry about the fact that the U.S. buys more stuff from other countries than it sells them, the news has not been so good. The latest release from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis notes that the trade deficit was 12 percent higher from January to October 2017 than during the same period of 2016. The trade deficit with China, a particular concern of Trump, is up even more.