Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Aug 19
US Debt Tops $40.05 Trillion as July Deficit Hits $432.3 Billion
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Aug 19

US Debt Tops $40.05 Trillion as July Deficit Hits $432.3 Billion

3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Aug 19

Summary

  • $40.05 trillion in federal debt was outstanding Tuesday, more than double the $19.4 trillion level a decade ago and just 4 1/2 years after the U.S. first crossed $30 trillion.
  • $432.3 billion in July red ink and a year-to-date deficit nearing $1.8 trillion show the pace is still accelerating, after years of pandemic-era stimulus and persistent budget gaps pushed debt held by the public near 100% of GDP.
  • $1.2 trillion in interest costs this year has become the largest federal expense after Social Security and Medicare, as Treasury yields have climbed to pre-global-financial-crisis highs and raised borrowing costs.
  • Treasury said it will increase long-end bond repurchases Wednesday, while investors weigh heavy government borrowing, AI-linked corporate issuance, rising term premia and a Fed still reluctant to cut rates without clearer inflation and labor data.

Insights

As federal interest costs surpass $1 trillion, will the Treasury's aggressive bond buybacks prevent a crisis in consumer borrowing markets?
What happens to everyday borrowing costs when global investors finally demand higher premiums for funding a rapidly expanding U.S. debt supply?
With the $40 trillion debt crossed years early, is a massive 15% wage tax the only way to save Social Security from depletion?