Democrats blame Republicans as U.S. national debt tops $40T

financeAug 20, 2026333,740

The US gross national debt reached $40 trillion for the first time on Wednesday, the highest in US history. The government deficit has doubled over the past decade, with officials noting that Donald Trump approved about $8.4 trillion of new debt during his first term, much of it for Covid-19 relief, while Joe Biden approved about $4.3 trillion. In fiscal year 2026, which began October 2025, $1.8 trillion has been added to the debt so far. Democrats blamed Republicans and a GOP-controlled Congress, accusing them of handing tax cuts to billionaires and passing legislation that enlarges the deficit; Representative Jason Crow called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act responsible for over $4 trillion in new debt, while the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that bill will increase the deficit by $3.3 trillion. Senator Mark Kelly said the president promised to pay off the debt but instead ran it up to $40 trillion. Republican Thomas Massie highlighted rising interest costs, saying the nation pays roughly $4,000 per person per year in interest, which he quantified as $16,000 for a family of four, and noted he lost his primary after opposing the policies that increased debt; his successor in the primary was Ed Gallrein. The CBO projection for the One Big Beautiful Bill and the recent $1.8 trillion addition in FY2026 signal continued upward pressure on deficits unless lawmakers enact offsetting measures.

Alt National Park Service

@altnps.bsky.social

The US gross national debt just crossed $40 trillion. Sure, let’s build a helicopter pad, a ballroom, paint statues gold, and keep going. 🙄

17532h ago

Rap Bastardz®20

We need to keep reminding people that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the White House. Trump just totaled 1/3 of it without asking and without a plan.

Tony Mangino12

The Orange Terror is going to completely destroy the U.S. and sell the remains to his dictator/Epstine Files friends. We need to remove the entire rotten regime from power.

JK6

We need it for “national security” that is to say, “to assuage the tender ego of our diaper wearing sundowner in chief”

catlady49ers.bsky.social5

Republicans only “care” about the national debt when Dems are in power. 🙄

andrewsawyou.bsky.social4

Call it what it is. The Donald J Trump $40 trillion National Debt.

SmooshyAndJayne4

#Musk is the world's first trillionaire, and the #US is the world's first negative-trillionaire. Coincidence? #Trump

Quoting this

in open rebellion.3

remember in 2016 when people said they were voting for him because he's rich and doesn't need taxpayer money so his presidency would actually save America some bills--- then he got in office and maxed out America's black card: can't swipe that bitch nowhere bc every country has lost faith in us.

Ron Filipkowski

@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social

The national debt just hit $40 trillion, gas is $4 a gallon, personal bankruptcies are at an all-time high, mortgage rates are up, GDP growth is terrible, we are stuck in another endless Middle East conflict, but the Republican Party is focused on ballrooms and car races.

14182h ago

Gaye Sherman43

Is someone going to tell him that aviator shades are a Biden thing?

PhillipUSA38

Republican claims… ”Moral majority, Party of Law and Order, Fiscal Conservatives.” Exposed as… Lies, Lies, Lies.

Chevron27

Don't worry everybody It's all going according to plan from a long time ago Everything will be fine as long as you just trust the government bsky.app/profile/lach...

Elizabeth Pennysworth21

Always laser-focused on the needs of the American people #fdt

Rob11

That's quite an image considering he doesn't even know how to drive a car

Earthangel 18

I'm skipping tea this morning and going straight for the martinis, enough is enough

Quoting this

Observation Group X14

Distraction galore while the Treasury is looted and the financial order collapsed.

Cocoa Brown11

DMV - stay out of the District this weekend!!!

Stace RN Resists 📎💙 OR5

My dearly departed Korean vet, race car driver dad would have words! Many words…

Sean5

The hose of AI slop coming from Trump & Republicans is really something. You could photoshop a kickass graphic with IndyCar photos in about 5-10 minutes, and still, theyre too lazy for that.

PortiaMcGonagal4

But hey, Mass Deportation and "Bring the Revolution" right?

Spiked Doormat3

Just circus by Donniegula. Because bread is too expensive and probably contaminated anyways.

Andrew M2

I'm focused on that ridiculous AI rendering of an IndyCar because that's definitely not an IR18

Tea Pain

@teapainusa.bsky.social

TRAGIC FACTS: The average American will earn a total of 2 million dollars in their lifetime. It only takes 22 seconds for Trump's $40 trillion national debt to accrue 2 million dollars in interest.

1692h ago

wozvillenation.bsky.social4

40 years of work blown in 22 seconds.

ExactlySorta4

We're forever in his debt

Michael flying with Natalie3

With the rubber stamp from the GOP- the party of fiscal conservatives.

mark2

how long does it take for trump to syphon out 2 million from the gov. coffers which is what's actually happening and nobody seems to care that's he's literally looting the govt

Insane-n-membrane1

"average American" don't think so

Aaron Rupar

@atrupar.com

Bessent downplays the national debt: "There's nothing magic about the $40 trillion number. We can grow our way out of that."

1251h ago

Mr Blifil22

Um...OK then...proceed with the growth forthwith please...

Marly Marie15

It will matter to all of these people downplaying it once a dem is in charge

Ralf W11

These exact same assholes, the moment a Democrat is president: "OH MY GOD! The deficit is KILLING US! Corporate America will grind to a halt. Everything is TERRIBLE!"

🐸🖕🐸 Heartless Creatures10

We pay more in interest than what we bring in.

badcatha.bsky.social6

Our journslists have been accepting that answer for 40 years even though there is no evidence to support it.

PrinceHALbert5

The only problem with "growing our way out of it" is that they just increase spending and borrow more.

Quoting this

Kai Ryssdal78

So 1. Hrs right. There is nothing magic about $40 trillion. It’s just a number. 2. He’s delusional. He’s paying >5.2% to borrow at 30 years. GDP grew 1.5% in Q2. His math isn’t mathing.

AndyC2

Supply side economics have done a fucking bang up job the past 45 years, you horrible simulacrum of a human.

Sascha Pallenberg2

"Money won't matter by 2036." — Elon Musk 🤡

Ygrene

@ygrene.bsky.social

[sees national debt] dang US government lay off the avocado toasts already

772h ago

Ygrene15

did you finance a car for like 1.9 million months or something

Dag.2

40 trillion here and 40 trillion there, and soon you are talking about real money.

4th Estate2

It needs to stop using Starbucks for coffee, too. Maybe make more $3 meals using a tortilla, a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, and one other thing instead of eating out so much.

Jonathan

@jonathansocials.com

Trump’s party screamed about $21T debt, but with him nearly doubling it to $40T thanks to tax cuts, their fiscal outrage mysteriously vanished.

262h ago

sajonw.bsky.social1

Its disgusting and outrageous we are going to get 75% of SSI well when I retire 10 years

Master Elrond [he/him]

@inuyasha1953.bsky.social

Who’s Raking it in as the National Debt Explodes? robertreich.substack.com/p/who-gets-p...

161h ago

JonZoidberg

@jonzoidberg.xyz

Since he likes his name on everything, THE DONALD J. TRUMP NATIONAL DEBT Has exceeded 40 trillion dollars. Congratulations, fiscal "conservatives!"

163h ago

SiLveRFoxXx

@silv3rfoxxx.bsky.social

Suddenly the national debt is no big deal with the GOP Typical

122h ago

#TuckFrump

@realtuckfrumper.bsky.social

The national debt hit $40 TRILLION while Trump promoted crypto and showed off White House construction. Apparently fiscal conservatism now means adding zeroes to the debt while admiring the remodeling. Source: Associated Press #RepublicanEconomics

132h ago

KennyMack1971

@kennymack1971.bsky.social

Let the US national debt have hit 40 trillion under a Democratic president…that’s all we’d be hearing about this week. The media’s Trump protection racket is real.

92h ago

Deborah Lynn

@mrsdeborahlynn.bsky.social

www.cnn.com/2026/08/19/e... Federal Debt hit a record $40 trillion on Tuesday. We were at $20 trillion less than 10 years ago. Congress has passed multiple packages that cut taxes and increased spending, including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.

103h ago

pissed-off-g.bsky.social

@pissed-off-g.bsky.social

The U.S. national debt has surpassed $40 trillion dollars for the first time ever. The milestone was reached yesterday, just five months after the country hit a record $39 trillion dollars in debt back in March. The U.S. is on track to borrow more than $2 trillion dollars... youtu.be/bSq1AYBhq20?...

42h ago

Never Ever Trump

@neverevertrump.bsky.social

i think when he said eliminate the national debt, he meant he would drive the country to bankruptcy. i think we're going to see what looks like in the next few months. ain't gonna be pretty

52h ago

Proudly Blue

@proudlyblue.bsky.social

Is Trump trying to crash the U.S economy & its entire financial system, plus the U.S. dollar, while abandoning paying down our $40 trillion national debt in order to make crypto soar and his crypto crime family super duper rich?

31h ago

3 sources

theguardian.com‘Republicans ran up the tab’: Democrats outraged over $40tn national debt – live nytimes.comVideo: The U.S. National Debt Hit a Record High of $40 Trillion usatoday.comUS national debt surpasses $40T after doubling under Trump and Biden

Democrats blame Republicans as U.S. national debt tops $40Tfinance

Democrats blame Republicans as U.S. national debt tops $40T

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