The United States national debt exceeds $40 trillion for the first time, according to multiple reports. The debt figure is presented as the total federal government borrowing and obligations, reaching a new record level.
Both outlets note that the increase is long-running and substantial. They say the national debt has effectively doubled over roughly the past decade, rising from about $20 trillion when President Donald Trump took office in January 2017 to more than $40 trillion under President Joe Biden.
While the sources share the same broad figures and timeline, they frame the development differently in emphasis. One report highlights the debt’s doubling “under presidents Trump, Biden,” while the other focuses on the milestone of passing a new record threshold. Neither outlet provides detailed breakdowns of the specific drivers of the debt within the excerpts provided.
