US National Debt Hits Record $40 Trillion
PUBLISHED Aug 20, 2026, 7:52 AM ET
The U.S. national debt exceeded $40 trillion for the first time on Wednesday, according to Treasury Department data, reaching $40.047 trillion as of Tuesday . The milestone came just five months after hitting $39 trillion in March and five months after reaching $38 trillion in October . Interest payments totaled $827 billion in the first nine months of fiscal 2026, surpassing defense spending of $713 billion . The debt has doubled from $19.95 trillion when President Trump took office in January 2017 . White House spokesman Kush Desai said the administration is focused on cutting waste and accelerating growth . Budget watchdogs called the trajectory unsustainable, with the Bipartisan Policy Center warning debt is "raising the cost of living and choking out other spending" .
By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News
- Articles Published:
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- Distribution:
- Left 18%, Center 82%, Right 0%
Left: Highlights systemic inequality, GOP tax cuts, and insufficient social investment. Center: Reports debt figures, deficit drivers, and warnings from budget experts. Right: Blames pandemic spending, Democratic policies, and defends Trump's growth focus.
Treasury Department webpage containing the specific daily Debt to the Penny dataset entry for August https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/debt-to-the-penny/debt-to-the-penny
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US National Debt Hits Record $40 Trillion
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