As of March 2026, the United States’ national debt reached $39 trillion, equivalent to over 120% of America’s gross national product. The debt grows by over $8 billion per day. Historically, issuing Treasury securities and borrowing from foreign governments has helped finance the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the World Wars; bankroll significant infrastructure projects like the transcontinental railroad; and stabilize the economy during economic downturns. But today’s mounting debt burden threatens economic prosperity and national security, and risks higher taxes and cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits. Global confidence in US Treasuries and America’s credit rating remain strong, but if the status quo continues, an unsustainable burden will fall on future generations.