An electronic display shows the national debt in Washington, DC on August 19, 2026. The US national debt exceeded a record 40 trillion USD. The US gross national debt has surged past $40 trillion for the first time, government data showed Wednesday, outstripping earlier forecasts at a pace fuelled in part by President Donald Trump's invalidated tariffs. The uptick in borrowing comes as longer term US obligations linked to social security and health care have been growing, while interest payments have climbed as well. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)