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U.S. National Debt Clock — Confidential Report
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The U.S. National Debt Clock
Real-time fiscal data from the U.S. Treasury — updated every 30 seconds.
95.4% toward $39 trillion
Debt Per Citizen
≈ 63 months of avg rent
Debt Per Taxpayer
Interest
Interest Outlook
Estimated federal interest burden over the next 12 months based on current rates
The government borrows money by selling bonds, and pays interest on those bonds just like you pay interest on a credit card. This section shows how much of your tax dollars go to paying that interest — money that can’t be spent on roads, schools, or defense.
Interest Rate Tipping Point
At what average interest rate does interest consume all tax revenue?
At an average rate of 6.7%, half of all federal tax revenue would go to interest alone. At 13.4%, the government would need every dollar of tax revenue just to pay interest — with nothing left for defense, Social Security, or Medicare.
Based on current debt of $38.95T and annual federal revenue of $5.23T. Sources: US Treasury, FRED
What If? Interest Rate Simulator
Drag the slider to see how different interest rates affect the federal budget
Interest costs are a small part of the budget
Drag the gauge needle or use the slider
Based on current debt of $38.95T and annual federal revenue of $5.92T. This is a simplified model — actual fiscal dynamics involve maturity schedules, inflation, and economic feedback loops.
US National Debt — 20 Year History
Source: FRED GFDEBTN (Total Public Debt, Quarterly)
Current
$38.51T
Period Start
Apr 1, 2006: $8.42T
Period End
Oct 1, 2025: $38.51T
Change
+$30.09T
% Change
+357.4%
Forecast
Debt Trajectory — 10-Year Projection
Statistical extrapolation based on 5-year compound growth rate with 68% and 95% confidence intervals
If the government keeps borrowing at the same pace, this chart shows where the debt is headed. The shaded bands show the range of likely outcomes — think of it like a weather forecast for the national credit card balance.
Current Trajectory uses 6.8% 5-year CAGR from FRED GFDEBTN quarterly data. Balanced Budget tapers growth to 2% (inflation only) over 5 years. Austerity reduces debt by ~1% annually after a 3-year taper. Stimulus models 1.5× current growth rate. Confidence bands reflect ±1σ/±2σ of historical volatility (3.5%).
Context
Debt in Context
Key economic indicators that drive and reflect the national debt trajectory
Consumer Price Index
330.3
Measures average change in prices paid by urban consumers. Rising CPI erodes purchasing power.
+3.32% YoY
FRED CPIAUCSL
M2 Money Supply
$22.67T
Total money in circulation including savings and money market funds. Rapid growth can signal inflation.
+4.88% YoY
FRED M2SL
Federal Surplus / Deficit
$-1.77T
Annual difference between government revenue and spending. Persistent deficits grow the debt.
Deficit
FRED FYFSD
Ownership
Who Holds the Debt?
The $38+ trillion federal debt is held by four major groups — hover to explore each
When the government borrows money, someone has to lend it. This shows who those lenders are: foreign countries like Japan and China, the Federal Reserve, Social Security, and everyday investors. It matters because if lenders lose confidence, borrowing gets more expensive for everyone.
Source: Federal Reserve (FRED) · As of 2025-10-01
Insider Signal
Congress Is Trading
How elected officials are positioning around Treasury bonds and defense stocks
Members of Congress are required to disclose their stock trades. This section shows what they’re buying and selling — especially in sectors affected by government spending decisions they vote on. It’s like seeing what the chef is eating at their own restaurant.
Buying defense — may signal confidence in continued military spending
Selling defense — could indicate expected budget cuts or reallocation
Betting on rate cuts — buying Treasury bonds ahead of potential Fed easing
Buying defense — may signal confidence in continued military spending
Buying defense — may signal confidence in continued military spending
Buying defense — may signal confidence in continued military spending
Selling defense — could indicate expected budget cuts or reallocation
Buying defense — may signal confidence in continued military spending
Selling defense — could indicate expected budget cuts or reallocation
Buying defense — may signal confidence in continued military spending
Source: Finnhub Congressional Trading Disclosures · Trades are self-reported and may be delayed 30-45 days
Sentiment
Wall Street on the Debt
How financial markets and media are framing the fiscal outlook right now
NMI's Slim Premium Provides Strategic Advantage Amid Fed Rate Reductions and Rising Fiscal Strains
The Nuveen Municipal Income Fund (NMI) announced a monthly dividend of $0.038 per share for April, offering an attractive 4.6% yield. The fund's performance in 2026 is subject to conflicting forces: potential Federal Reserve rate cuts that could boost municipal bonds, and fiscal pressures from the "
NMI's Slim Premium Provides Strategic Advantage Amid Fed Rate Reductions and Rising Fiscal Strains
The Nuveen Municipal Income Fund (NMI) announced an April dividend of $0.038 per share, representing an annualized yield of 4.6%. The fund's strategy involves leverage to enhance yield and its performance in 2026 will be influenced by the opposing forces of fiscal pressures from the One Big Beautifu
Stigende gæld i USA sætter TLT-aktien i risiko ved rotation til BIL ETF
The TLT ETF, which tracks long-term US Treasury bonds, is facing significant pressure due to rising US national debt, which has now exceeded $39 trillion. Investors are shifting their capital towards short-term Treasury bonds, with the BIL ETF seeing inflows of $7 billion this year. This rotation is
USA:s skuldökning hotar TLT-aktien vid rotation till BIL-ETF
The TLT stock is facing significant pressure due to the escalating U.S. national debt, which has now exceeded $39 trillion, and rising long-term bond yields. Investors are shifting from long-term government bonds, represented by the TLT ETF, to short-term bonds, as indicated by a substantial realloc
US debt surge puts TLT stock at risk amid rotation to BIL ETF
The TLT stock price has fallen sharply due to growing concerns over the US national debt, which has now exceeded $39 trillion. Long-term US government bonds have seen a sell-off, with investors shifting towards short-term bonds, evidenced by the BIL ETF attracting over $7 billion in inflows. This ro
Qorvo, Skyworks Solutions, Penguin Solutions, Microchip Technology, and Marvell Technology Shares Plummet, What You Need To Know
Shares of Qorvo, Skyworks Solutions, Penguin Solutions, Microchip Technology, and Marvell Technology all experienced significant drops following escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China, and geopolitical disruptions affecting global supply chains. China initiated trade barrier investigat
US debt surge puts TLT stock at risk amid rotation to BIL ETF
The TLT stock price has fallen due to concerns about the ballooning US public debt, which has now exceeded $39 trillion, driven by factors like the ongoing Iran war and proposed government spending. Investors are shifting from long-term government bonds, tracked by the TLT ETF, to short-term bonds,
US Debt Binge: Foreign Investors Scoop Up Treasuries At Near-Record Pace With $34.8 Billion Increase As Japan Leads
Foreign investors are significantly increasing their holdings of U.S. government debt, reaching a near-record $9.3 trillion in January led by Japan and the UK. This surge contrasts with China's strategy of reducing its U.S. dollar reliance. Despite the strong foreign demand, concerns about fiscal fr
Source: Alpha Vantage News Sentiment API · Sentiment analysis is algorithmic and may not reflect editorial intent
Debt Milestones
How long it took to add each $5 trillion — and the acceleration is alarming
It took 205 years to reach the first $1 trillion in debt, but only 2.5 years to add the most recent $5 trillion. At the current pace, the debt is projected to hit $40 trillion by 2026.
Sources: US Treasury Historical Debt Outstanding, Congressional Budget Office
Historical
Debt by President
How much each administration added to the national debt — from FDR to today
DEBT ACCUMULATION
Debt by President
PARTY TOTALS
Source: U.S. Treasury Historical Debt Outstanding · BEA GDP data
Debt in Perspective
How does the national debt compare to other major US economic benchmarks?
Federal Reserve, Q3 2025
Siblis Research, Jan 2026
Zillow, Sep 2025
US Treasury, Live
BEA / FRED, 2025
World Gold Council, 2025
SIFMA, Q3 2025
US Treasury, FY2025
Debt / GDP
124%
Debt exceeds annual GDP
Debt / Housing
71%
Debt = 71% of all US homes
Debt / Stock Market
56%
Debt = 56% of all US stocks
Fiscal
Federal Spending & Revenue
This is the government's monthly bank statement. Revenue is what comes in (mostly taxes), spending is what goes out (defense, healthcare, Social Security). When spending exceeds revenue, the difference gets added to the national debt.
Total government outlays this fiscal year
How much more we spend than we earn
Income from import taxes
Avg. tax revenue per filer
Ratios
Key Fiscal Ratios
US Federal Debt to GDP Ratio
US Federal Deficit to GDP Ratio
Spending
Largest Budget Items
Federal spending breakdown by category (FY 2025/2026 estimates)
Economy
Economy & Population
These numbers show the size and health of the overall economy. GDP is the total value of everything the country produces. When the economy grows faster than the debt, the burden gets lighter — like getting a raise while your mortgage stays the same.
Total economic output of the country
All government spending combined
Current estimated residents
People who file tax returns
Macro
Global Macro Context
Key economic indicators from Trading Economics that shape the fiscal landscape
Real GDP Growth
6.5%
Alpha Vantage / BEA
Global
Debt Race — Who Owes the Most?
Animated comparison of national debt accumulation across the world's largest economies
5.7T
134% GDP
5.3T
261% GDP
1.2T
62% GDP
850B
104% GDP
550B
95% GDP
180B
84% GDP
Data: IMF World Economic Outlook, World Bank WDI, national treasury departments. Values in USD trillions (approximate, subject to exchange rate fluctuations for non-US economies). US data supplemented with live FRED GFDEBTN series.
Alerts
Milestone Notifications
Stay informed when the national debt crosses the next trillion-dollar threshold
Milestone Alerts
Get notified when the national debt crosses the next $1 trillion threshold.