20.08.2026 08:31
The total public debt of the United States reached a record $40 trillion and $47 billion as of August 18. The debt, which increased by $10 trillion in less than five years, was driven by pandemic stimulus, interest costs, and tax cuts.
The US Department of the Treasury published data on the country's total debt as of August 18.
According to this, the amount of debt held by the public on that date exceeded $32.265 trillion, while intragovernmental holdings reached $7.781 trillion. Thus, the total public debt of the US was calculated as $40.047 trillion.
INCREASED BY $10 TRILLION IN 5 YEARS
The US public debt surpassed the $30 trillion level in early 2022. It drew attention that the country's public debt increased by $10 trillion in less than 5 years.
Factors such as pandemic-era stimulus packages, rising interest costs, and tax cuts were effective in this increase.
The US public debt was at $38.4 trillion at the beginning of this year.