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The national debt

The Treasury reported $40.1 trillion of public debt outstanding on September 17, 2026, of which $32.4 trillion is held by the public.

American Factbook Research

What is owed, and to whom

$40,093,343,468,151
Total public debt outstanding
As published for September 17, 2026.
$32,392,786,557,372
Held by the public
Owed to investors: individuals, funds, companies, foreign governments.
$7,700,556,910,778
Intragovernmental holdings
Owed by the government to its own accounts, largely the trust funds.
$57,845,143,225
Interest, latest month
Interest owed to investors, accrual basis, August 31, 2026.

The debt by month

The debt has grown 121.7% since 2015-01, and 80.8% of it is owed to the public. The last published day of each month, not an average of the month. Debt held by the public is owed to investors; intragovernmental holdings are owed by the government to its own accounts. They are shown apart because they are different obligations, and one of them the government owes itself. The growth figure divides the change since 2015-01 by the figure for that month, both from the table below.
U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service — Treasury Fiscal Data
The figures behind this chart
The debt has grown 121.7% since 2015-01, and 80.8% of it is owed to the public. The last published day of each month, not an average of the month. Debt held by the public is owed to investors; intragovernmental holdings are owed by the government to its own accounts. They are shown apart because they are different obligations, and one of them the government owes itself. The growth figure divides the change since 2015-01 by the figure for that month, both from the table below.
MonthHeld by the publicIntragovernmental holdings
2015-01$13.0 trillion$5.1 trillion
2015-02$13.1 trillion$5.1 trillion
2015-03$13.1 trillion$5.1 trillion
2015-04$13.1 trillion$5.1 trillion
2015-05$13.1 trillion$5.1 trillion
2015-06$13.1 trillion$5.1 trillion
2015-07$13.1 trillion$5.0 trillion
2015-08$13.1 trillion$5.0 trillion
2015-09$13.1 trillion$5.0 trillion
2015-10$13.1 trillion$5.1 trillion
2015-11$13.6 trillion$5.2 trillion
2015-12$13.7 trillion$5.2 trillion
2016-01$13.7 trillion$5.4 trillion
2016-02$13.8 trillion$5.3 trillion
2016-03$13.9 trillion$5.3 trillion
2016-04$13.8 trillion$5.3 trillion
2016-05$13.9 trillion$5.4 trillion
2016-06$13.9 trillion$5.4 trillion
2016-07$14.0 trillion$5.4 trillion
2016-08$14.1 trillion$5.4 trillion
2016-09$14.2 trillion$5.4 trillion
2016-10$14.3 trillion$5.5 trillion
2016-11$14.4 trillion$5.5 trillion
2016-12$14.4 trillion$5.5 trillion
2017-01$14.4 trillion$5.6 trillion
2017-02$14.4 trillion$5.5 trillion
2017-03$14.4 trillion$5.5 trillion
2017-04$14.3 trillion$5.6 trillion
2017-05$14.3 trillion$5.5 trillion
2017-06$14.4 trillion$5.5 trillion
2017-07$14.4 trillion$5.5 trillion
2017-08$14.4 trillion$5.5 trillion
2017-09$14.7 trillion$5.6 trillion
2017-10$14.8 trillion$5.7 trillion
2017-11$14.9 trillion$5.7 trillion
2017-12$14.8 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-01$14.8 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-02$15.2 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-03$15.4 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-04$15.3 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-05$15.4 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-06$15.5 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-07$15.6 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-08$15.8 trillion$5.7 trillion
2018-09$15.8 trillion$5.8 trillion
2018-10$15.8 trillion$5.9 trillion
2018-11$16.0 trillion$5.8 trillion
2018-12$16.1 trillion$5.9 trillion
2019-01$16.1 trillion$5.9 trillion
2019-02$16.3 trillion$5.9 trillion
2019-03$16.2 trillion$5.8 trillion
2019-04$16.2 trillion$5.8 trillion
2019-05$16.2 trillion$5.8 trillion
2019-06$16.2 trillion$5.8 trillion
2019-07$16.2 trillion$5.8 trillion
2019-08$16.6 trillion$5.9 trillion
2019-09$16.8 trillion$5.9 trillion
2019-10$17.0 trillion$6.0 trillion
2019-11$17.1 trillion$6.0 trillion
2019-12$17.2 trillion$6.0 trillion
2020-01$17.2 trillion$6.0 trillion
2020-02$17.4 trillion$6.0 trillion
2020-03$17.7 trillion$6.0 trillion
2020-04$19.1 trillion$5.9 trillion
2020-05$19.8 trillion$5.9 trillion
2020-06$20.5 trillion$5.9 trillion
2020-07$20.6 trillion$5.9 trillion
2020-08$20.8 trillion$5.9 trillion
2020-09$21.0 trillion$5.9 trillion
2020-10$21.1 trillion$6.0 trillion
2020-11$21.3 trillion$6.1 trillion
2020-12$21.6 trillion$6.1 trillion
2021-01$21.6 trillion$6.1 trillion
2021-02$21.8 trillion$6.1 trillion
2021-03$22.0 trillion$6.1 trillion
2021-04$22.1 trillion$6.1 trillion
2021-05$22.0 trillion$6.2 trillion
2021-06$22.3 trillion$6.2 trillion
2021-07$22.3 trillion$6.1 trillion
2021-08$22.3 trillion$6.2 trillion
2021-09$22.3 trillion$6.1 trillion
2021-10$22.6 trillion$6.3 trillion
2021-11$22.6 trillion$6.3 trillion
2021-12$23.1 trillion$6.5 trillion
2022-01$23.5 trillion$6.5 trillion
2022-02$23.8 trillion$6.5 trillion
2022-03$23.9 trillion$6.5 trillion
2022-04$23.8 trillion$6.5 trillion
2022-05$23.9 trillion$6.6 trillion
2022-06$23.9 trillion$6.7 trillion
2022-07$24.0 trillion$6.6 trillion
2022-08$24.3 trillion$6.7 trillion
2022-09$24.3 trillion$6.6 trillion
2022-10$24.4 trillion$6.9 trillion
2022-11$24.6 trillion$6.9 trillion
2022-12$24.5 trillion$6.9 trillion
2023-01$24.6 trillion$6.9 trillion
2023-02$24.6 trillion$6.9 trillion
2023-03$24.7 trillion$6.8 trillion
2023-04$24.6 trillion$6.9 trillion
2023-05$24.6 trillion$6.8 trillion
2023-06$25.5 trillion$6.9 trillion
2023-07$25.7 trillion$6.9 trillion
2023-08$26.0 trillion$6.9 trillion
2023-09$26.3 trillion$6.8 trillion
2023-10$26.6 trillion$7.1 trillion
2023-11$26.8 trillion$7.0 trillion
2023-12$26.9 trillion$7.1 trillion
2024-01$27.1 trillion$7.1 trillion
2024-02$27.4 trillion$7.1 trillion
2024-03$27.5 trillion$7.1 trillion
2024-04$27.5 trillion$7.1 trillion
2024-05$27.6 trillion$7.1 trillion
2024-06$27.6 trillion$7.2 trillion
2024-07$27.9 trillion$7.2 trillion
2024-08$28.2 trillion$7.1 trillion
2024-09$28.3 trillion$7.2 trillion
2024-10$28.6 trillion$7.4 trillion
2024-11$28.8 trillion$7.3 trillion
2024-12$28.8 trillion$7.4 trillion
2025-01$28.9 trillion$7.3 trillion
2025-02$28.9 trillion$7.3 trillion
2025-03$28.9 trillion$7.3 trillion
2025-04$28.9 trillion$7.4 trillion
2025-05$29.0 trillion$7.3 trillion
2025-06$29.0 trillion$7.3 trillion
2025-07$29.5 trillion$7.4 trillion
2025-08$30.0 trillion$7.3 trillion
2025-09$30.3 trillion$7.4 trillion
2025-10$30.6 trillion$7.5 trillion
2025-11$30.8 trillion$7.6 trillion
2025-12$30.8 trillion$7.7 trillion
2026-01$30.9 trillion$7.6 trillion
2026-02$31.2 trillion$7.6 trillion
2026-03$31.4 trillion$7.6 trillion
2026-04$31.3 trillion$7.7 trillion
2026-05$31.5 trillion$7.7 trillion
2026-06$31.7 trillion$7.8 trillion
2026-07$32.0 trillion$7.7 trillion
2026-08$32.4 trillion$7.8 trillion
2026-09$32.4 trillion$7.7 trillion

What the debt costs

Interest owed to investors ran to $736.9 billion in the fiscal year to date. Accrued interest expense on public issues: what the debt cost in the month rather than what was paid out in it. Interest the government owes its own trust funds is reported on a different footing and is not on this chart.
U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service — Treasury Fiscal Data
The figures behind this chart
Interest owed to investors ran to $736.9 billion in the fiscal year to date. Accrued interest expense on public issues: what the debt cost in the month rather than what was paid out in it. Interest the government owes its own trust funds is reported on a different footing and is not on this chart.
MonthAccrued interest expense
2015-01$14.5 billion
2015-02$12.4 billion
2015-03$15.5 billion
2015-04$23.3 billion
2015-05$26.0 billion
2015-06$21.6 billion
2015-07$25.4 billion
2015-08$24.0 billion
2015-09$19.7 billion
2015-10$18.7 billion
2015-11$17.9 billion
2015-12$20.0 billion
2016-01$18.4 billion
2016-02$15.9 billion
2016-03$22.4 billion
2016-04$21.1 billion
2016-05$25.5 billion
2016-06$25.6 billion
2016-07$25.6 billion
2016-08$24.6 billion
2016-09$18.2 billion
2016-10$21.6 billion
2016-11$22.9 billion
2016-12$22.4 billion
2017-01$19.1 billion
2017-02$19.3 billion
2017-03$28.2 billion
2017-04$24.6 billion
2017-05$22.4 billion
2017-06$24.2 billion
2017-07$22.6 billion
2017-08$22.5 billion
2017-09$19.9 billion
2017-10$25.2 billion
2017-11$27.8 billion
2017-12$21.4 billion
2018-01$22.2 billion
2018-02$19.5 billion
2018-03$29.7 billion
2018-04$28.3 billion
2018-05$26.2 billion
2018-06$27.9 billion
2018-07$29.2 billion
2018-08$26.0 billion
2018-09$23.5 billion
2018-10$25.2 billion
2018-11$25.6 billion
2018-12$27.6 billion
2019-01$21.1 billion
2019-02$18.9 billion
2019-03$28.6 billion
2019-04$31.2 billion
2019-05$34.2 billion
2019-06$33.2 billion
2019-07$29.9 billion
2019-08$27.0 billion
2019-09$28.1 billion
2019-10$26.7 billion
2019-11$27.0 billion
2019-12$30.3 billion
2020-01$26.5 billion
2020-02$24.1 billion
2020-03$32.3 billion
2020-04$29.9 billion
2020-05$23.3 billion
2020-06$15.8 billion
2020-07$25.6 billion
2020-08$33.1 billion
2020-09$32.1 billion
2020-10$30.2 billion
2020-11$26.6 billion
2020-12$25.8 billion
2021-01$24.2 billion
2021-02$23.9 billion
2021-03$31.4 billion
2021-04$32.6 billion
2021-05$35.8 billion
2021-06$36.9 billion
2021-07$37.6 billion
2021-08$39.4 billion
2021-09$31.8 billion
2021-10$28.2 billion
2021-11$28.4 billion
2021-12$38.5 billion
2022-01$33.5 billion
2022-02$28.2 billion
2022-03$39.8 billion
2022-04$41.1 billion
2022-05$49.7 billion
2022-06$36.9 billion
2022-07$47.7 billion
2022-08$53.5 billion
2022-09$29.3 billion
2022-10$30.0 billion
2022-11$34.4 billion
2022-12$39.9 billion
2023-01$31.6 billion
2023-02$24.9 billion
2023-03$48.8 billion
2023-04$44.8 billion
2023-05$42.1 billion
2023-06$44.7 billion
2023-07$42.0 billion
2023-08$43.5 billion
2023-09$40.7 billion
2023-10$47.5 billion
2023-11$43.6 billion
2023-12$40.2 billion
2024-01$37.8 billion
2024-02$37.7 billion
2024-03$53.8 billion
2024-04$55.2 billion
2024-05$58.1 billion
2024-06$53.1 billion
2024-07$50.6 billion
2024-08$49.0 billion
2024-09$49.3 billion
2024-10$51.2 billion
2024-11$51.9 billion
2024-12$53.4 billion
2025-01$51.1 billion
2025-02$48.4 billion
2025-03$66.6 billion
2025-04$62.0 billion
2025-05$60.1 billion
2025-06$60.2 billion
2025-07$61.1 billion
2025-08$64.3 billion
2025-09$59.0 billion
2025-10$64.4 billion
2025-11$62.7 billion
2025-12$64.8 billion
2026-01$51.5 billion
2026-02$54.4 billion
2026-03$69.1 billion
2026-04$70.2 billion
2026-05$84.6 billion
2026-06$79.4 billion
2026-07$78.0 billion
2026-08$57.8 billion
Accrued interest by security type, August 31, 2026
SecurityThis monthFiscal year to date
Treasury Notes$44.3 billion$454.8 billion
Treasury Bonds$15.7 billion$162.9 billion
Treasury Floating Rate Notes (FRN)$2.2 billion$24.3 billion
Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS)$2.2 billion$22.2 billion
State & Local Government-C/I's, Notes & Bonds$220.8 million$2.5 billion
Domestic Series - C/I's & Demand Deposits$506.3 thousand$17.1 million
Foreign Series - C/I, Notes & Bonds$0$0
Matured Debt$0$0
REA Series$0$0
Int. Expense Inflation Compensation (TIPS)$-6.8 billion$70.1 billion

What this data cannot show

  • Treasury publishes no single total for interest on the debt. The figures sit under a category, a basis and a security type, and the bases within a category measure the same obligation different ways rather than adding up. This page shows accrued interest on public issues and says so, rather than adding things that should not be added.
  • Interest on government account series — what the government owes its own trust funds — is reported as accrual-basis amortization and cash-basis payments. Neither is the analogue of the public-issues figure, so it is not on the same chart.
  • Debt outstanding is a stock on a date, not a flow over a period. It is not the deficit, and it is not comparable to the annual obligation figures elsewhere on this hub.

Sources

  • Treasury Fiscal DataU.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service · U.S. Government work, public domain (17 U.S.C. 105) · retrieved September 19, 2026

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