The US gross national debt officially crossed $40 trillion on August 18, 2026, reaching $40.047 trillion according to Treasury Department figures. This amount represents more than double the level from January 2017, which stood at approximately $19.95 trillion, nearly doubling in under a decade. Annual interest payments are projected to approach $931 billion, making it the third-largest federal budget item after Social Security and Medicare. The debt breaks down into approximately $32.266 trillion held by the public and $7.782 trillion in intragovernmental holdings. Rising debt levels are putting pressure on interest rates and placing the Federal Reserve in a delicate position between fighting inflation and easing the government’s interest burden.
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