Fact Check: Has the national debt exceeded 100% of GDP?
Yes
United States federal debt held by the public reached 100.2 percent of GDP at the end of March 2026, an increase from around 35 percent of GDP in 2007. This is the highest level since just after World War II. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that, under current law, the debt ratio will continue to rise, reaching over 120 percent of GDP in 2036. Total federal debt was over 122 percent of GDP at the end of 2025, but this includes debt owed by one part of the government to another part of the government.
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Sources:
Wall Street Journal | U.S. Debt Tops 100% of GDP
Congressional Budget Office | The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2026 to 2036
EconoFact | Addressing Rising US Debt
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget | Debt Reaches 100% of GDP
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