The U.S. Treasury Department reported that the federal government recorded a $291 billion budget deficit in July, widening the gap by nearly 20 percent from the same month a year earlier and overshooting private-sector forecasts of roughly $239 billion. Customs duties generated by President Donald Trump’s tariffs jumped to a record $27.7 billion–$28 billion, about triple last year’s level, yet the windfall could not keep pace with rising expenditures. Total receipts edged up 2 percent to $338 billion, while outlays surged 10 percent to $630 billion, the highest July spending on record. Through the first 10 months of the fiscal year, the deficit stands at about $1.63 trillion. Tariff collections have reached roughly $136 billion–$142 billion over the same period, but larger payments for Social Security, healthcare programs and interest on the public debt continue to dominate the government’s balance sheet, underscoring the fiscal challenges facing policymakers.