Citadel CEO Ken Griffin is one of many people growing increasingly concerned about America’s $40 trillion national debt burden, and the budget deficits that add to it year after year. But Griffin has an alternative perspective to some of his peers: This isn’t an issue that can be solved in Washington D.C. alone, he says.
The feathers of debt hawks have been ruffled further over the past few days following the Treasury’s confirmation that it ran a $2 trillion deficit for the fiscal year 2026. More than half of that deficit came from interest rate payments to service the debt.
Economists have a range of ideas on how to improve the U.S. fiscal picture. Some call for policies supporting economic growth to better balance government borrowing versus income. Others say spending needs to be cut to shave budget deficits down as a portion of GDP.
Griffin suggests the matter also requires impetus from U.S. allies—namely, them needing to grow their own economies.
