U.S. national debt exceeds 40 trillion for first time as borrowing costs surge
The U.S. national debt surpassed $40 trillion for the first time on Tuesday, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Treasury Department. The total public debt outstanding reached $40.05 trillion, exceeding earlier forecasts, including a Congressional Budget Office projection of $39.4 trillion by the end of fiscal year 2026 .
The debt has more than doubled in under a decade, rising from $19.95 trillion in January 2017, when Donald Trump began his first term as president. It increased by $11.6 trillion across Trump’s two terms and by $8.4 trillion under Joe Biden, according to Treasury figures .
The surge in borrowing comes as long-term obligations for Social Security and healthcare grow, while interest payments climb. The federal government has operated at a deficit, borrowing to cover obligations such as war spending and tax cuts. Yields on long-term Treasury bonds rose Tuesday to their highest level since 2007, reflecting pressure from inflation, the war in Iran, and concerns over U.S. deficit spending .
The Treasury Department moved to steady the bond market early Wednesday, sending yields lower. The U.S. has faced rising borrowing costs as interest rates increase, forcing the government to refinance debt at higher rates. Jessica Riedl, a budget and tax fellow at the Brookings Institution, noted that deficits have reached roughly $2 trillion annually, even during periods of economic stability .
Michael Peterson, CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, warned that at the current pace, the debt could reach $50 trillion within six years. He highlighted that the debt had doubled from $20 trillion in less than a decade .
The debt milestone was reached five months after surpassing $39 trillion. Margaret Spellings, head of the Bipartisan Policy Center, told NPR that even under favorable scenarios, the U.S. is "rushing toward a cliff without turning the wheel" .
The Congressional Budget Office had previously projected the $40 trillion threshold would not be crossed until fiscal year 2028. The acceleration in borrowing has been driven by persistent deficits, rising interest rates, and increased spending on social programs as the U.S. population ages .
Follow us for live European news
- 4
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
6 further sources not geolocated
Articles
Varningen: Rusar mot ett stup En ny rekordnivå är uppnådd. USA:s federala statsskuld har passerat 40 biljoner – 40 000 0000 000 000 – dollar.
svenska dagbladet · about 3 hours ago
Amerikaanse staatsschuld bedraagt voor het eerst meer dan 40 biljoen dollar
de volkskrant · about 3 hours ago
Aνάλυση CNN: Oι τρεις παράγοντες πίσω από τη «βόμβα» των $40 τρισ. του αμερικανικού χρέους, τι φοβούνται αγορές και οικονομολόγοι Γιατί το χρέος των ΗΠΑ αυξάνεται τόσο γρήγορα - Η ανησυχία περνά στην αγορά ομολόγων
protothema · about 3 hours ago
40 000 milliards de dollars : la dette publique américaine atteint un niveau record
lexpress · about 3 hours ago
Trump calls on Federal Reserve to cut interest rates President Donald Trump has urged the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, arguing that strong economic data should not trigger inflation-driven hikes. Speaking at the White House, Trump emphasized that rates should decline alongside economic improvements, challenging the Feds current approach to monetary policy.
yenisafak · about 3 hours ago
+++ USA +++: US-Staatsverschuldung steigt auf über 40 Billionen Dollar Trump lässt Helikopterplatz am Weißen Haus bauen +++ Gericht macht Weg für neue Wahlkreise in Missouri frei +++ Trump nominiert Overton als Leiterin von Arzneimittelbehörde +++ Der Newsblog.
handelsblatt · about 3 hours ago
Gold surges past $4,500 as US Treasury expands bond buybacks Gold prices jumped over 4 to exceed $4,500 per ounce as the US Treasury Department announced plans to double its buybacks of longer-term government debt. Silver also rallied 5.3, supported by a weaker dollar and falling Treasury yields, with markets awaiting Federal Reserve minutes for policy signals.
yenisafak · about 3 hours ago
US national debt surpasses $40 trillion for first time The US Treasury Department reported that the national debt surpassed $40 trillion for the first time on Tuesday, intensifying scrutiny of Washingtons fiscal trajectory as borrowing costs escalate.
yenisafak · about 3 hours ago
Federal Reserve policymakers are becoming more hawkish Since the July meeting, more FOMC voters have said they are worried about inflation
financial times · about 3 hours ago
USAs statsgjeld overstiger 40.000 milliarder dollar USAs statsgjeld har passert 40.000 milliarder dollar, viser tall som det amerikanske finansdepartementet har lagt frem.
aftenposten · about 4 hours ago
US national debt has doubled in under a decade Total US national debt has risen to over $40 trillion, according to data published by the US Treasury Department on Wednesday. The debt has more than doubled since 2017, when Donald Trump first took office as president. The national debt increased by $11.6 trillion across Trumps two presidential terms and by $8.4 trillion under Joe […]
cphpost · about 4 hours ago
US national debt passes record $40 trillion The amount has doubled in the last decade, from Trumps first term through the Biden administration.
aljazeera · about 4 hours ago
Höher als von Regierung und Experten prognostiziert: US-Staatsverschuldung steigt erstmals auf über 40 Billionen Dollar Die Staatsverschuldung der USA ist erstmals auf über 40 Billionen Dollar (34,3 Billionen Euro) gestiegen. Entsprechende Zahlen veröffentlichte das Finanzministerium in Washington.
tagesspiegel · about 4 hours ago
EE.UU. supera el hito de los 40 billones en deuda pública en otro fracaso económico de Trump El presidente prometió reducir la carga de la deuda, pero esto se ha visto obstaculizado por el gasto en la guerra de Irán, la menor recaudación fiscal y las devoluciones de los aranceles.
la vanguardia · about 4 hours ago
Dollar Supported by Weak Stocks and Rising Bond Yields
gdeltproject.org · about 4 hours ago
USA unter Trump: US-Staatsverschuldung jetzt mehr als 40 Billionen Dollar Liveticker zur US-Politik unter Donald Trump / Trump dampft Militärübung mit Südkorea ein / Jetzt lesen im Liveticker der FAZ
faz · about 4 hours ago
Česko příští rok splní dvě procenta HDP na obranu, slíbil Zůna. Ministerstvo počítá s výdaji 191 miliard Ministerstvo obrany by mělo příští rok hospodařit s výdaji 191 miliard korun. Splní tak stanovený závazek dvě procenta hrubého domácího produktu na obranu. Novinářům to po středečním jednání s ministryní financí Alenou Schillerovou (ANO) o podobě rozpočtu na příští rok řekl ministr obrany Jaromír Zůna (za SPD). Jeho úřad by tak měl mít zhruba o 36,2 miliardy korun k dispozici víc než letos.
irozhlas.cz · about 4 hours ago
ΗΠΑ: Το δημόσιο χρέος έσπασε για πρώτη φορά το φράγμα των $40 τρισ. – Καμπανάκι για δημοσιονομική κρίση
protothema · about 4 hours ago
La dette américaine dépasse les 40 000 milliards de dollars plus rapidement que prévu Les promesses de Donald Trump de rétablir lordre budgétaire et de réduire le fardeau de la dette américaine ont été sapées notamment par les réductions dimpôts, les remboursements de droits de douane, et les dépenses militaires liées à la guerre en Iran.
courrier international · about 4 hours ago
Trezoreria SUA a dat publicității care este datoria guvernului american. „Pentru prima dată depășește acest prag Datoria guvernului SUA a depăşit pentru prima dată pragul de 40.000 de miliarde de dolari, potrivit datelor publicate miercuri de Departamentul Trezoreriei, în timp ce ratele dobânzilor cresc, notează AFP.
digi24 · about 5 hours ago
From Breakingviews - Breakingviews - Washington and AI debt deluge is rinsing consumers reut.rs/45DTTc1
bluesky_Reuters · about 5 hours ago
#BREAKING ⚡️🇺🇸 – U.S. debt has exceeded $40 trillion dollars for the first time in history, after doubling under President Trumps and Bidens administrations. @GeoPWatch
telegram_GeoPWatch · about 5 hours ago
NEW: US national debt exceeds $40 trillion for first time READ: @INSIDERPAPER
telegram_Insider Paper · about 5 hours ago
US national debt surges past $40 trillion for the first time, government data shows. Rising US debt comes as concerns over inflation, war in the Middle East and government spending have been driving investor worries u.afp.com/SHyr
bluesky_AFP English · about 6 hours ago
US-Börsen: Wall Street schließt dank sinkender Anleiherenditen im Plus Die Ölpreise klettern angesichts der weiter angespannten Lage im Nahen Osten auf ein Drei-Wochen-Hoch und schüren Inflationssorgen. Eine andere Entwicklung entspannt die Märkte allerdings.
handelsblatt · about 6 hours ago
Feds July minutes revealed growing concerns over elevated inflation Many members of the FOMC thought a rate increase would soon be warranted if inflation remains high
financial times · about 6 hours ago
🔴 BREAKINGUS National Debt Surpasses $40 TrillionThe United States national debt has officially crossed the $40 trillion threshold, marking a historic milestone. This figure represents a doubling of the debt over the last decade, spanning from the beginning of Donald Trumps first term through the Biden administration.📰 #Markets #Geopolitics #GeoWire
mastodon bot · about 6 hours ago
Dívida pública dos EUA supera os 34,2 mil milhões de euros A dívida pública dos Estados Unidos ultrapassou, pela primeira vez na sua história, os 40 mil milhões de dólares (34,2 mil milhões de euros)
observador · about 6 hours ago
US-Staatsverschuldung: Staatsschulden der USA übersteigen erstmals 40 Billiarden US-Dollar Innerhalb der letzten zehn Jahre haben sich die Schulden der USA beinahe verdoppelt. Hintergrund ist unter anderem die Zollpolitik der US-Regierung unter Donald Trump.
die zeit · about 6 hours ago
Many US Federal Reserve policymakers believe that interest rate hikes will be necessary if inflation does not decline, minutes of their July meeting showed on Wednesday, firming up expectations of monetary policy tightening on the horizon u.afp.com/SHyf
bluesky_AFP English · about 7 hours ago