US Debt Hits Record $40 Trillion Amid Rising Interest Costs
The US national debt has surpassed $40 trillion for the first time in history, more than doubling from roughly $19.95 trillion when President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.
This alarming milestone is largely attributed to pandemic spending under both Trump and former President Joe Biden, as well as chronic federal deficits, Social Security, Medicare, tax policy, massive defense spending, and rising interest rates that have made it harder to hide the bill.
The Congressional Budget Office projects net federal interest costs will reach $1 trillion annually by fiscal 2026, potentially ballooning to $2.1 trillion by 2036 under current law.
Bitcoin proponents see this development as a major selling point for their asset, citing its programmed maximum supply of 21 million coins compared to governments' seemingly limitless ability to issue debt and expand the dollars needed to finance it.