The milestone comes as the government shutdown continues to disrupt the economy and delay critical fiscal decisions
The United States has crossed a sobering financial threshold as the gross national debt surpassed $38 trillion for the first time, according to Treasury Department data released this week. The milestone arrives while the federal government remains closed, creating additional economic disruption as hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without paychecks and critical services face interruption.
The timing of this debt landmark highlights ongoing concerns about fiscal responsibility in Washington. Government shutdowns themselves can contribute to growing debt by delaying economic activity and postponing important fiscal decisions. The process of pausing federal programs and then restarting them creates inefficiencies that drive up costs. The Office of Management and Budget previously…
