WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump got worrisome news on Wednesday about how the U.S. economy is battening down for potential fallout from his tariffs — and he was quick to try to pin the blame on his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

The U.S. economy contracted early this year as businesses imported a massive trove of goods before President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs took effect, widening the trade deficit and curtailing growth.

The latest news crystalized several economic forecasts that have warned of a possible recession and have been one of Trump’s biggest vulnerabilities.

Underlying economic growth remained solid in early 2025, but tariffs and uncertainty are expected to cause a further slowdown.

The economy shrank 0.3% in the first three months of the year, a steep downturn from the pace of growth in 2024.

As recession fears reverberate from Washington to Wall Street, Wednesday brought the most comprehensive yardstick yet of the health of the U.S. economy yet as the government released the first estimate of the country’s gross domestic product over the first three months of 2025.