Values prior to 2025 were derived from previous reports by the source.
Gross federal debt comprises federal debt held by the public plus Treasury securities held by federal trust funds and other government accounts.
The fiscal year is the accounting period for the federal government, which begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends.
By 2036, the gross federal debt of the United States is projected to reach **** trillion U.S. dollars. This would be an increase of around **** trillion U.S. dollars from 2025, when the federal debt was around **** trillion U.S. dollars. This was equivalent to well over 100,000 U.S. dollars in national debt per capita.
The mounting cost of government borrowing
The federal debt, also called the national debt or public debt, is the amount owed by the United States government. Creditors may be foreign governments, private investors, or different departments within the government itself. The total has climbed sharply over the past 30 years. Some worry the pace of growth is unsustainable and risks undermining the country’s economic health.
How debt becomes a political weapon
The debt ceiling sets a legal limit on how much the Treasury can borrow to meet existing obligations. It can only be changed by Congress, with the president’s approval. In recent years, raising the debt ceiling has become a recurring political standoff, especially under divided government. Despite the party’s stated opposition to higher spending, the national debt has, on average, grown faster under Republican presidents than under Democratic ones.
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US Congressional Budget Office. (February 11, 2026). Forecast of the gross federal debt of the United States for fiscal years 2024 to 2025 with a forecast to 2036 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 08, 2026, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/216998/forecast-of-the-federal-debt-of-the-united-states/
US Congressional Budget Office. "Forecast of the gross federal debt of the United States for fiscal years 2024 to 2025 with a forecast to 2036 (in billion U.S. dollars)." Chart. February 11, 2026. Statista. Accessed May 08, 2026. https://www.statista.com/statistics/216998/forecast-of-the-federal-debt-of-the-united-states/
US Congressional Budget Office. (2026). Forecast of the gross federal debt of the United States for fiscal years 2024 to 2025 with a forecast to 2036 (in billion U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 08, 2026. https://www.statista.com/statistics/216998/forecast-of-the-federal-debt-of-the-united-states/
US Congressional Budget Office. "Forecast of The Gross Federal Debt of The United States for Fiscal Years 2024 to 2025 with a Forecast to 2036 (in Billion U.S. Dollars)." Statista, Statista Inc., 11 Feb 2026, https://www.statista.com/statistics/216998/forecast-of-the-federal-debt-of-the-united-states/
US Congressional Budget Office, Forecast of the gross federal debt of the United States for fiscal years 2024 to 2025 with a forecast to 2036 (in billion U.S. dollars) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/216998/forecast-of-the-federal-debt-of-the-united-states/ (last visited May 08, 2026)
Forecast of the gross federal debt of the United States for fiscal years 2024 to 2025 with a forecast to 2036 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph], US Congressional Budget Office, February 11, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/216998/forecast-of-the-federal-debt-of-the-united-states/
