United States national debt reaches record US$40 trillion

The United States national debt has reached a record high of US$40.074 trillion as of September 9, 2026. This total includes US$32.39 trillion held by the public and US$7.69 trillion in intra-governmental obligations.

The debt increased by approximately US$1 trillion in just five months, rising from US$39 trillion in March 2026. This rapid growth is attributed to various government expenditures, including tax cuts, social security programs, interest payments, and defense spending related to conflicts involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

Based on a U.S. Census Bureau population estimate of approximately 342.62 million people as of July 2026, the debt per capita amounts to roughly US$116,964. While this does not represent a direct bill for individual citizens, it reflects the statistical share of government debt assigned to every resident.