The US government continues to pile onto its balance sheet, pushing its national debt to levels never seen before.
Data from the Treasury Department shows that the US national debt has soared to $39.016 trillion for the first time in history.
So far, the US government has added more than $593.944 billion to its national debt this year, from $38.422 trillion at the start of 2026. Treasury data also shows that the US is now spending nearly a fifth of its budget to pay off the interest on its ballooning debt.
“The federal government is charged interest for the use of lenders’ money, in the same way that lenders charge an individual interest for a car loan or mortgage… As of February 2026, it costs $520 billion to maintain the debt, which is 17% of the total federal spending in fiscal year 2026.”
The soaring US national debt has caught the attention of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB). Citing data from the Congressional Budget Office, the nonprofit says debt held by the public is projected to climb to 108% of US GDP by 2030 before rising to 129% by 2040.
“CBO’s latest long-term outlook shows a degrading fiscal picture. Although primary deficits remain relatively flat over the long term, rising interest costs on a large and growing debt will drive deficits to increasingly unsustainable levels over the coming decades. As debt grows and deficits rise, policymakers’ flexibility will erode – making it increasingly difficult to put the nation on a sustainable fiscal path.”
Recently, Elon Musk warned that the US is moving toward financial collapse without massive improvements in tech.
“I think in the absence of AI and robotics, we’re actually totally screwed because the national debt is piling up like crazy. Now, our interest payments, the interest payments to the national debt, exceed the military budget, which is a trillion dollars. So over a trillion dollars just in interest payments.
I was like, ‘Okay, pretty concerned about that.’ Maybe if I spend some time, we can slow down the bankruptcy of the United States, and give us enough time for the AI and robots to help solve the national debt.”
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at CapitalAI Daily are not investment advice. Investors should do their own due diligence before making any decisions involving securities, cryptocurrencies, or digital assets. Your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. CapitalAI Daily does not recommend the buying or selling of any assets, nor is CapitalAI Daily an investment advisor. See our Editorial Standards and Terms of Use.