U.S.A. Interest Payments Hit $3.3 Billion Per Day—Now the Second-Largest Federal Expense
The U.S.A. is now paying an average of $3.3 billion per day in interest on its national debt, making interest the federal government’s second-largest expense after Social Security, and soon to surpass Medicare. In fiscal year 2025, cumulative interest payments have already reached record highs, with projections for the year ranging from $952 billion to over $973 billion—more than double the annual interest costs from just a few years ago.
This rapid growth is driven by both the rising federal debt and higher interest rates. As a result, interest costs now outpace nearly every other federal budget category and are projected to consume an even larger share of government revenues and spending in the years ahead. This trend is raising concerns about the sustainability of U.S. fiscal policy, as more resources are devoted to servicing debt rather than investing in national priorities.
