US Federal Debt

Four charts tracking the fiscal trajectory of the United States

Interest Burden

Net interest payments as % of federal revenue - the credit-analyst view of debt sustainability

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Global Context

Government debt/GDP vs interest burden - where the US sits among peers. Bubble size = fiscal deficit.

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Deficit Decomposition

Interest expense vs primary deficit (ex-interest) as % of GDP - separating structural from debt-service costs

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Who Holds the Debt?

Treasury securities outstanding by holder - quarterly, Fed Z.1 data

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Sources: CBO Budget and Economic Outlook, IMF World Economic Outlook, Federal Reserve Z.1 Financial Accounts. CBO projections shown as dashed lines. IMF WEO uses general government (includes state/local); all other charts use federal government. Charts updated automatically via weekly cron.