Total US national debt rose to $40.047 trillion as of August 18. According to data published by the US Treasury Department, more than $32.265 trillion of this amount consisted of publicly held debt.
Total intragovernmental holdings stood at $7.781 trillion.
The increase occurred in less than five years
US national debt surpassed the $30 trillion mark at the beginning of 2022. The total debt therefore increased by $10 trillion in less than five years.
The country’s national debt stood at $38.4 trillion at the beginning of this year. The latest data show that the increase has continued since the start of the year.
Stimulus packages introduced during the pandemic, rising interest costs and tax cuts contributed to the increase in debt.