America has a massive debt problem, and it isn’t record-high auto loans and credit card delinquencies that are fueling the crisis. As of March 31, U.S. federal debt held by the public exceeded 100% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the first sustained period since 1946.
According to the U.S. Debt Clock, the national debt has now topped $39 trillion, and the interest on that debt exceeds $1 trillion. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve data indicates that in Q1 2026, U.S. GDP was nearly $32 trillion.
