Our $40,000,000,000,000 debt
Podcast: Today, ExplainedPublished On: Thu Aug 27 2026
Description: The US debt keeps breaking records. Should we panic? This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. An electronic display shows the national debt in Washington, DC on August 19, 2026, after the US gross national debt surged past $40 trillion for the first time. Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The note was deleted
The note was saved
Your message was sent