Experts Sound Alarm as National Debt Tops GDP for First Time Since WWII

Debt held by the public has topped 100 percent of GDP as economists warn of rising fiscal risks despite a resilient growth backdrop.

The U.S. Capitol building on April 29, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The U.S. national debt has surpassed the size of the economy, reaching its highest level since World War II, excluding a brief pandemic-era spike, according to new data that is sharpening concerns about the country’s long-term fiscal trajectory.

Debt held by the public reached $31.27 trillion as of March 31, slightly exceeding the nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of $31.22 trillion over the prior 12 months, pushing the debt-to-GDP ratio to 100.2 percent, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) said in an April 30 report based on fresh figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.