Drop comes amid a huge fall in consumer sentiment, which in April dropped 32% to lowest level since 1990 recession

The US economy shrank in the first three months of the year, according to official data, triggering fears of an American recession and a global economic slowdown.

Donald Trump, who returned to the White House promising to “make America great again”, sought to blame Joe Biden for the figure.

However, economists said it was largely driven by an unprecedented surge in imports, as consumers and companies braced for the president to impose his controversial wave of tariffs.