Explore the mix of my investment portfolio. Follow me to see how I invest! The national debt of the United States is the total amount of money that the U.S. federal government owes to the holders of Treasury bonds. As of March 2025, the total U.S. federal debt was approximately $36.56 trillion.

*Components of the national debt:*

- *Public debt*: Represents the amount owed by the government to bondholders, including individuals, corporations, and foreign financial institutions.

- *Intragovernmental debt*: Represents the amount owed by the government to its internal accounts, such as the Social Security Trust Fund.

*Reasons for the growth of the national debt:*

- *Government spending*: Increasing spending can lead to an increase in the national debt.

- *Taxes*: Insufficient taxes lead to an increase in the national debt.

- *Economic crises*: Economic crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can lead to an increase in the national debt due to increased government spending and reduced revenues.

*Effects of the national debt:*

- *Increased interest costs*: Increasing national debt can lead to higher interest costs, which may affect government spending and the economy.

- *Impact on credit rating*: Increasing national debt can lead to a downgrade of the United States' credit rating, which may increase borrowing costs.

- *Impact on the economy*: Increasing national debt can lead to negative effects on