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national debt

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National Debt Clock in New York City

Economy Sep 18

How debt interest is becoming a bigger problem for the U.S. government

By Paul Solman, Ryan Connelly Holmes

Nation Jun 05

National Debt Clock in New York City
Watch 8:03
Explaining the national debt, how we got here and what it means for future generations

Republicans in Congress are hashing out a new tax cut and spending bill that's projected to add trillions to the national debt. Economics correspondent Paul Solman explains the ballooning national debt, how we got here and what it means for…

By Paul Solman, Sam Weber

Politics Jun 05

The U.S. Capitol Building as seen ahead of a vote on the coronavirus (COVID-19) relief bill on Capitol Hill in Washington
Watch 4:57
Breaking down Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ and its impact on the deficit and national debt

The Republican tax cut and spending bill could add trillions to the already massive deficit. Lisa Desjardins breaks down what President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” means for the national debt.

By Lisa Desjardins, Ali Schmitz

Politics Jun 05

U.S. Senators Speak to Reporters on Capitol Hill
Watch 5:36
GOP Sen. Ron Johnson explains why he opposes Trump’s budget in its current form

One of the biggest sticking points in the Trump budget bill is its projected impact on the national debt, a concern shared by several key Republican lawmakers. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson is among them and he joined Geoff Bennett to…

By Geoff Bennett, Doug Adams, Kyle Midura

Politics Jun 02

Swearing-in ceremony for the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia at the White House
Can Trump fix the national debt? Republican senators, many investors and even Elon Musk are skeptical

The White House has viciously lashed out at anyone who has voiced concern about the debt snowballing under Trump, even though it did exactly that in his first term after his 2017 tax cuts.

By Josh Boak, Associated Press

May 19

Watch 4:57
Credit rating downgrade triggers warning signs for U.S. economy

By Amna Nawaz, Karina Cuevas

The growing size of the U.S. debt, and the concerns over how much more it will increase, is very much on the minds of investors, markets and lawmakers. The developments were tied in part to Moody’s announcement that it was…

Continue watching

Oct 07

Nonpartisan analysis suggests national debt could increase under Harris, but surge under Trump

By Josh Boak, Associated Press

The analysis released Monday by the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget suggests a Harris presidency could increase the national debt over 10 years by $3.5 trillion, while former President Trump's ideas could heap another $7.5 trillion onto the…

Continue reading

Jan 02

U.S. national debt hits record $34 trillion as Congress gears up for funding fight

By Fatima Hussein, Associated Press

The record high comes after Republican lawmakers and the White House agreed to temporarily lift the nation's debt limit last year after the government ran up against its legal borrowing capacity and needed to implement "extraordinary measures" to avoid default.

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Nov 21

Watch 5:15
How disputes over the federal debt and deficit could lead to a government shutdown

By Lisa Desjardins, Kyle Midura

The U.S. government remains open this Thanksgiving week, thanks to a temporary funding deal Congress passed last week. But that deal starts to expire in January and conservatives are signaling they won’t pass another funding deal without addressing the swelling…

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Aug 01

U.S. credit rating cut to AA+ by Fitch, citing debt and political divisions

By Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press

Fitch cited the worsening political polarization around spending and tax policy as a key reason for the downgrade.

Continue reading

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