US National Debt Surpasses $40 Trillion for First Time
Treasury data show total public debt outstanding reached $40.047 trillion, five months after crossing the $39 trillion mark.
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The United States national debt crossed $40 trillion for the first time, according to Treasury Department data released this week.
Total public debt outstanding stood at $40.047 trillion as of August 18, 2026. The figure includes $32.266 trillion held by the public and $7.782 trillion in intra-governmental holdings.
The milestone arrived five months after the debt passed $39 trillion in March. It has grown by roughly one-third in less than five years.
Interest payments on the debt now exceed $1 trillion annually, ranking as the third-largest federal spending item after Social Security and Medicare. Economists note that debt held by the public is roughly equal to the size of the U.S. economy.
The rise reflects years of deficits under successive administrations, driven by tax cuts, pandemic spending, military costs and social programmes. The Congressional Budget Office projects the debt will reach $63 trillion by 2036 under current law.
Maya MacGuineas of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said the $40 trillion mark was reached less than five months after $39 trillion and that the debt has quadrupled in under 20 years.
