La deuda de EEUU supera el hito de los 40 billones de dólares

The public debt of the United States has surpassed the landmark of $40 trillion for the first time in its history, according to data released by the Treasury Department yesterday. The total federal government debt has reached $40.047 trillion, just five months after crossing the $39 trillion mark. This acceleration in federal debt growth is mainly due to the removal of tariffs on imports from around the world by the Trump administration, following a Supreme Court ruling that declared them illegal.

Currently, government spending exceeds tax revenues by about $2 trillion annually, while a major tax cut law passed last year is likely to increase the annual deficit by more than $4 trillion over the next decade. Federal spending has also risen since Donald Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, while the debt-to-GDP ratio has worsened.

The federal government is now spending over $1 billion per year on interest payments, which have also been increasing, making it the second-largest expenditure category after Social Security. The 30-year U.S. Treasury bond yield recently reached its highest level in 19 years amid concerns about potential inflation due to the war in Iran.

The government announced it will double its bond repurchase operations, up to at least $4 billion, to support the liquidity of long-term securities it issues. The rise in debt highlights the opposing priorities of the Trump administration, ranging from increased defense spending for a potential war in Iran to reducing gas and food prices.

The executive branch has focused on cutting waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending while accelerating economic growth to bring the debt-to-GDP ratio back on track. White House spokesperson Kush Desai stated that the U.S. must address the debt/GDP relationship to ensure it moves in the right direction. However, experts warn that the explosive increase in debt has already impacted Americans, raising the cost of borrowing, reducing wages for companies with less money to invest, and driving up prices for goods and services.

Proponents of a balanced budget warn that the long-term trend of borrowing more and paying higher interest rates will force Americans to face difficult fiscal decisions in the future. The federal debt is already raising the cost of living and diverting other spending and investments, threatening the economy and long-term prosperity of Americans, according to Margaret Spellings, president and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center.

The U.S. is subject to a debt ceiling set by law, which Congress has the power to set, adjust, or eliminate. The Bipartisan Policy Center estimates that the country is likely to reach the debt ceiling of $41.1 trillion at some point next year, forcing Congress to vote again on whether to raise or suspend the debt ceiling.