By — Lisa Desjardins Lisa Desjardins By — Ali Schmitz Ali Schmitz Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/national-debt-nears-40-trillion-how-we-got-here-and-why-it-matters Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio The national debt is expected to hit a record high as soon as this week, crossing a major threshold of $40 trillion. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins explains why that milestone is a warning sign for many economists. Listen to this Segment Watch Watch the Full Episode PBS NewsHour from Aug 17, 2026 By — Lisa Desjardins Lisa Desjardins Lisa Desjardins is a correspondent for PBS News Hour, where she covers news from the U.S. Capitol while also traveling across the country to report on how decisions in Washington affect people where they live and work. @LisaDNews By — Ali Schmitz Ali Schmitz