Final answer:
The statement is false. The US had a trade deficit of $540 billion in 2012.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the US has a trade surplus of $44.2 billion as of August 2012 is False. A trade surplus occurs when the value of a country's exports exceeds the value of its imports. In this case, the question suggests that the US has a trade surplus, which means it is exporting more than it is importing. However, the given information contradicts this, stating that the US had a trade deficit of $540 billion in 2012. A trade deficit happens when a country imports more than it exports.