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PBS Newshour

U.S. approaches staggering $40 trillion in debt

Season 2026 Episode 168 | 5m 33s

The national debt is expected to hit a record high as soon as this week, crossing a major threshold of $40 trillion. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins explains why that milestone is a warning sign for many economists.

Major corporate funding for the PBS NewsHour is provided by Care.com, Consumer Cellular, and Fidelity. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by Mutual of America. For a complete list of funders for the PBS NewsHour and PBS NewsHour weekend, click here.
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