There are two major categories for federal debt: debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings. The debt held by the public has increased by 131% since 2015.

Economists generally view debt held by the public (DHBP) as the most meaningful measure of debt, because it reflects the amount that the Treasury has borrowed from outside lenders …

Aug 12, 2025 · Debt held by the public is currently around 100 percent of GDP, which is higher than any time in history other than in fiscal years 1945, 1946, 2020, and 2021, when …

Oct 30, 2025 · The U.S. government’s gross national debt – the total amount of money owed its creditors and other financial obligations – hit a record high of more than $38 trillion on Oct. 22, …

Aug 12, 2025 · Even before Congress passed President Donald Trump’s major tax and domestic policy legislation, the federal government was on track to spend $1.9 trillion more this fiscal …

Mar 6, 2025 · A wide range of government agencies hold US national debt; two major examples are Social Security funds and federal employee retirement funds. The remainder of the debt is …

Oct 9, 2025 · The total national debt consists of two distinct categories: debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings. These categories have different economic implications and …

What you need to know about the federal debt, and GAO's analysis of debt management challenges.

Feb 4, 2025 · Public debt accounts for about four-fifths of the national debt.

4 days ago · U.S. federal debt has hit $38 trillion—about equal to the entire U.S. economy—and interest payments now cost more than national defense. But the United States has tackled its …