[dragonwriter]

FY 2020 (Oct 1, 2019-Sept 30, 2020) was a sharp increase in the deficit, 2021 and 2022 were decreases, 2023 YTD is an increase over the same period in FY 2022.

Its nothing like hockeystick growth.

EDIT: I suppose if you overenthusiastically extrapolate from, like, just the last three data points the trade rather than budget deficit might distantly resemble that, but...