National Debt Tops $40 Trillion: Where Trump's Economic Approval Stands

The data marks a staggering new milestone in the country’s borrowing.

US debt hits record $40.047 trillion. Photo credit: APThe US national debt has crossed the $40 trillion mark for the first time, according to Treasury data showed on Wednesday. The milestone comes as rising spending on defence, Social Security and Medicare, alongside mounting interest payments, pushes federal borrowing

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The national debt surpassed a record $40 trillion on Wednesday, a staggering milestone as defense costs, social programs like Socia

The national debt has surpassed a record $40 trillion, highlighting the impact of defense costs, social programs, and interest on the deficit

The national debt has surpassed a record $40 trillion, highlighting the impact of defense costs, social programs, and interest on the deficit

The national debt surpassed a record $40 trillion on Wednesday, a staggering milestone as defense costs, social programs like Social Security and Medicare and interest on the burgeoning deficit to make up an enormous share of federal spending.

The federal government's IOU has now more than doubled in less than a decade, from $19.95 trillion when US President Donald Trump was sworn in for the first time in January 2017.

The US national debt now stands at $40 trillion  AP News

The federal debt reached $40 trillion as the government adds red ink at a rapid rate. That's leading nervous investors to demand higher interest rates —pushing up borrowing costs for everyone else.

Federal debt has mounted amid tax cuts and trillions in pandemic spending, adding to the nation's interest payments.

The majority of the public believes they are worse off financially than when President Donald Trump won a second term nearly two years ago, according to a new poll that painted an ominous picture of Republicans’ electability in the 2026 midterm elections. The Financial Times/Focaldata survey found that 53% of 2,152 res