By Solange Reyner | Thursday, 30 April 2026 05:31 PM EDT
The U.S. national debt has surpassed 100% of gross domestic product, a threshold that has not been crossed since the end of World War II.
Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows national debt reaching 100.2% of GDP on Thursday, with public-held debt estimated at $31.27 trillion as of March 31.
Nominal GDP for the 12-month period ending in March was $31.22 trillion.
“It’s happened — the national debt is now larger than the U.S. economy, about twice the historic average,” Marc Goldwein, senior vice president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said in a statement.
“We’ve heard plenty of alarm bells in the past few years about our fiscal path, but this one rings especially loudly. The real question is whether or not our leaders in Washington will listen,” he added.
Goldwein described the current debt-to-GDP ratio of 100.2% as “uncharted territory” and a “scary place to be.”
“The higher we allow our debt to grow, the more we erode our own prosperity and that of future generations,” Goldwein stated.
“Rising debt compromises affordability by slowing income growth, pushing up interest rates, and increasing inflationary pressures. Debt squeezes our budgets with massive interest costs,” he said.
Goldwein also warned that rising debt exposes the U.S. to challenges from geopolitical rivals and will require “corrective action.” Otherwise, it could kick off a “devastating” fiscal crisis.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
