The US national debt now stands at $40 trillion
- The U.S. national debt surpassed $40 trillion on Wednesday, setting a new record.
- The article says the milestone came five months after the debt reached $39 trillion in March and five months after it hit $38 trillion in October.
- The report notes that defense spending, Social Security, Medicare, and interest payments account for a large share of federal spending.
- The White House said the Trump administration is trying to cut waste, fraud, and abuse while accelerating economic growth.
- The article says the growing debt is expected to raise borrowing costs and put pressure on wages, investment, and consumer prices.
- The U.S. has a statutory debt limit, and the Bipartisan Policy Center estimates the country could reach the next limit of $41.1 trillion sometime between late winter and mid-summer of 2027.
The U.S. national debt climbed past $40 trillion on Wednesday, marking a new record. The article says the increase reflects years of borrowing across multiple administrations, with federal spending outpacing tax revenue.
The report points to major drivers of federal spending including defense, Social Security, Medicare and rising interest costs. It also notes that the milestone came soon after earlier record levels, with debt reaching $39 trillion in March and $38 trillion five months before that.
The White House said President Donald Trump’s administration is focused on reducing waste, fraud and abuse in federal spending while trying to speed up economic growth. The article also says more government spending was approved after Trump signed Republicans’ tax cut and spending legislation into law last year.
Economists and budget watchdogs quoted in the story warn that the debt trajectory is already affecting Americans through higher borrowing costs and tighter conditions for wages and investment. The U.S. is subject to a statutory debt limit, and the Bipartisan Policy Center estimates the country could reach the next borrowing limit of $41.1 trillion between late winter and mid-summer of 2027.
美国国债已达到40万亿美元
美国国债周三突破40万亿美元，创下新的历史纪录。报道说，这一增长反映出多个政府任内长期举债的结果，而联邦支出持续超过税收收入。
文章提到，推动支出的主要项目包括国防、社会保障、医疗保险以及不断上升的利息成本。报道还指出，这一里程碑来得很快，国债在3月达到39万亿美元，在此前5个月才刚刚达到38万亿美元。
白宫表示，特朗普政府的重点是减少联邦支出的浪费、欺诈和滥用，同时加快经济增长。文章同时提到，特朗普去年签署共和党的减税和支出法案后，政府又批准了更多支出。
文中援引的经济学者和预算监督机构警告，债务走势已经通过更高的借贷成本以及对工资和投资的挤压影响普通民众。美国受法定债务上限约束，两党政策中心估计，美国可能在2027年冬末到夏季中期之间触及下一道41.1万亿美元的举债上限。