Segment Information (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) group_presidents segments dealers	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information
Number of group presidents | group_presidents	4
Number of operating segments | segments	5
Useful life to amortize goodwill for segment assets	20 years
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	$ 13,466	$ 12,859
Depreciation and amortization	641	681
Consolidated profit before taxes	2,264	2,134
Segment assets	78,726		$ 78,509
Capital expenditures	547	757
Revenues earned from Machinery, Energy & Transportation	$ 131	105
All Other operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Number of group presidents | group_presidents	1
Number of smaller operating segments led by Group President | group_presidents	1
Number of wholly-owned dealers involved in segment reallocation | dealers	1
Reportable Segments
Depreciation and amortization	$ 52	57
Consolidated profit before taxes	25	57
Segment assets	1,393		1,279
Capital expenditures	13	11
Reportable Segments Including Intersegment Eliminations
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	$ 14,660	13,998
Reportable Segments
Segment Reporting Information
Number of operating segments led by Group Presidents | segments	3
Number of operating segments led by Group President responsible for corporate services | segments	1
Reportable Segments
Number of reportable segments | segments	4
Total sales and revenues	$ 13,582	12,936
Depreciation and amortization	543	566
Consolidated profit before taxes	2,710	2,510
Segment assets	56,066		55,732
Capital expenditures	395	588
Intersegment sales and revenues
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	1,078	1,062
Machinery, Energy & Transportation | Reportable Segments Including Intersegment Eliminations
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	13,810	13,205
Machinery, Energy & Transportation | Reportable Segments
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	12,732	12,143
Depreciation and amortization	337	363
Consolidated profit before taxes	2,499	2,369
Segment assets	20,313		19,730
Capital expenditures	149	227
Machinery, Energy & Transportation | Intersegment sales and revenues
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	1,078	1,062
Construction Industries | Reportable Segments Including Intersegment Eliminations
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	5,873	5,677
Construction Industries | Reportable Segments
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	5,852	5,659
Depreciation and amortization	80	89
Consolidated profit before taxes	1,085	1,117
Segment assets	5,331		4,902
Capital expenditures	28	42
Construction Industries | Intersegment sales and revenues
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	21	18
Resource Industries | Reportable Segments Including Intersegment Eliminations
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	2,727	2,309
Resource Industries | Reportable Segments
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	2,647	2,208
Depreciation and amortization	105	116
Consolidated profit before taxes	576	378
Segment assets	6,417		6,442
Capital expenditures	23	23
Resource Industries | Intersegment sales and revenues
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	80	101
Energy & Transportation | Reportable Segments Including Intersegment Eliminations
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	5,210	5,219
Energy & Transportation | Reportable Segments
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	4,233	4,276
Depreciation and amortization	152	158
Consolidated profit before taxes	838	874
Segment assets	8,565		8,386
Capital expenditures	98	162
Energy & Transportation | Intersegment sales and revenues
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	977	943
Financial Products Segment | Reportable Segments Including Intersegment Eliminations
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	850	793
Financial Products Segment | Reportable Segments
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	850	793
Depreciation and amortization	206	203
Consolidated profit before taxes	211	141
Segment assets	35,753		$ 36,002
Capital expenditures	246	361
Financial Products Segment | Intersegment sales and revenues
Reportable Segments
Total sales and revenues	$ 0	$ 0