\begin{tabular}{c}\( \begin{array}{c}\text { The US suffered its sharpest decline in GDP in } \\ \text { what year? }\end{array} \) \\ \hline 2020 \\ \hline 2008 \\ \hline 2000 \\ \hline 1950\end{tabular}

In 2020, the United States experienced its sharpest decline in GDP, primarily due to the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to widespread lockdowns, business closures, and significant job losses, all of which contributed to an unprecedented economic contraction that saw the GDP fall by approximately 31.4% in the second quarter alone. Interestingly, while 2008 saw a significant recession due to the financial crisis, the decline was not as drastic as what occurred in 2020. The Great Recession led to a negative GDP growth of about 4.3%, but the rapid and severe effects of the pandemic were a truly unique and alarming situation in modern economic history.