US national debt surpasses $40 trillion
According to data released by the US Treasury on Wednesday, the US national debt has surpassed $40 trillion.
A figure with 13 zeros is not just a statistic — it is a mirror of an entire era where debt has become an integral part of state existence. When the world's largest economy accumulates such obligations, it is a signal not only to Wall Street but also to every person on the planet, as the dollar remains the world's primary reserve currency. Behind every trillion lie not only budget deficits but also elections, wars, social programmes and hopes for the future. The question is no longer whether one can keep borrowing, but who and when will pay these bills.
The data show that debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings stand at $32.266 trillion and $7.781 trillion respectively. Total outstanding public debt reached $40.047 trillion. This milestone, reached several months earlier than expected, reflects the fact that the federal government is spending more than it takes in, creating annual deficits that add to the national debt.
The federal government poured trillions of dollars into the COVID-19 pandemic response, followed by tax cuts and increased military spending. As a result, US public debt has grown rapidly in recent years, raising concerns in the bond market and pushing up Treasury yields. Rising interest payments have further swelled the overall debt.
The Treasury's monthly report shows that for the first nine months of fiscal year 2026 (which began on 1 October 2025), the federal government ran a deficit of $1.367 trillion, with net interest payments of $827 billion over that period — exceeding defence spending of $713 billion and trailing only Social Security outlays of $1.244 trillion.
The US national debt surpassed $30 trillion in January 2022, topped $39 trillion in March 2026 and reached $39.7 trillion in July 2026. Thus, the latest trillion was added in just a few months — an unprecedented pace reflecting accelerating fiscal imbalances. Analysts warn that rising interest rates make debt servicing increasingly expensive, while political divisions in Congress hinder deficit reduction measures.
As CCTV+ reports, crossing the $40 trillion mark poses a serious challenge for the US administration and global financial markets. The debt mountain continues to grow, and in the coming years this issue is likely to become one of the central topics not only in domestic but also in international politics, affecting exchange rates, inflation expectations and confidence in the dollar as a global reserve.
