WASHINGTON, United States — The United States is set to see its debt level swell to a record over the coming decade, the Congressional Budget Office said Friday, days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Trump has vowed to take quick action to hike tariffs on imports — cast as a potential way to boost revenues — while his Treasury secretary pick took aim this week at federal spending.
Article continues after this advertisementBut the president-elect’s campaign promises of tax cuts threaten to add to deficits, critics say, warning of an unsustainable fiscal path.
FEATURED STORIES BUSINESS Taiwan biz delegation eyes ecozone development in PH BUSINESS BSP: InstaPay still overtakes ATM withdrawals BUSINESS DA creates new logistics unit to lower retail pricesAs mandatory spending levels and interest costs rise, outpacing revenue growth, US debt is expected to balloon from 2025 to 2035, the CBO said in its report Friday.
Such mandatory spending covers such huge budget categories as Social Security and Medicare.
Article continues after this advertisementThe debt as a share of gross domestic product will rise from 100 percent this year to 118 percent in 2035 — reaching a new high.
Article continues after this advertisementThe federal budget deficit, meanwhile, is projected to hit $1.9 trillion, the report by the nonpartisan agency added.
Article continues after this advertisementAlthough revenues are set to total $5.2 trillion in 2025 and rise as a share of GDP by 2027, the CBO said this was partially due to expiring provisions of a tax law enacted by the first Trump administration.
But Trump and his Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent have called for tax cuts to be extended, changing the situation.
Article continues after this advertisementEarlier CBO estimates indicated that extending the tax cuts would add more than $4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.
This means policymakers may have to find ways to offset the impact, such as by lowering spending.
The CBO report Friday also indicated the amount of federal debt subject to an overall limit would keep increasing — reaching about $59.3 trillion by 2035.
The debt ceiling is a limit on government borrowing to pay for bills already incurred.
The Treasury Department is expected to start taking measures this month to avoid defaulting on the government’s obligations.
About a year later, all that optimism disappeared into thin air, along with its Greenbelt showroom, which was once a vibrant outlet showcasing different e-scooter models. This space—meant to attract heavy foot traffic—has been padlocked very recently.
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While lawmakers suspended the debt ceiling in mid-2023kingbet, as of January 2 it was reinstated and set at $36.1 trillion.
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