# US national debt tops $40 trillion: What are the risks?

https://mins.news/en/item/29594

- CGTN, 2026-08-20 11:54 UTC
- Economy
- Original: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-08-20/US-national-debt-tops-40-trillion-What-are-the-risks--1PL5iZYyiYw/p.html?UTM_Source=cgtn&UTM_Medium=rss&UTM_Campaign=World

> Treasury data shows US national debt has crossed $40 trillion for the first time. Experts warn that rising borrowing and interest costs could fuel inflation, crowd out other spending priorities and raise borrowing costs for households and businesses; public debt reached 122.6% of GDP in the first quarter of 2026.

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