WASHINGTON (AFP) – A hungry American economy powered by a strong US dollar saw record imports in September, driving the US trade deficit to its highest level in seven months, the government reported Friday.

And amid President Donald Trump’s trade war with Beijing, the US trade deficit with China swelled again, as crucial soybean exports – a sore spot for Republicans in next week’s midterm elections – continued to suffer.

With rising wages and low unemployment, Americans purchased more foreign-made telecommunications equipment, computers, mobile phones, aircraft engines, clothing and toys, the Commerce Department said.

The US trade deficit posted its fourth straight monthly increase, rising 1.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted $54 billion, significantly overshooting analyst forecasts, as imports hit $266.6 billion, the highest level ever recorded. Exports also rose to $212.6 billion.

The US trade gap has increased a steep 10.1 percent so far this year.

The expanding trade gap should weigh on GDP calculations in the third quarter, although many estimates may already have factored in the trade drag.

Trade with China, a central target of Trump’s aggressive economic agenda, was a clear culprit, as the deficit in goods with the world’s second largest economy jumped $3 billion to $37.4 billion, seasonally adjusted.

Goods imports from China hit a record of $47.7 billion, seasonally adjusted, an increase of $3.5 billion from August.

The trade report showed American producers sold more gold, petroleum products and civilian aircraft, but exports of soybeans fell $700 billion from August, also largely the result of the trade spat with China.