US Deficit
Fiscal Straitjacket: U.S. Debt Hits $39 Trillion as Interest Costs Eclipse Defense Spending
The United States has entered a precarious new chapter in its fiscal history. On March 17, 2026, the gross national debt officially surged past the $39 trillion mark, a milestone reached just five months after crossing $38 trillion. This rapid acceleration—averaging roughly $7.2 billion in new debt every