The $39 trillion debt is set to surpass its postwar peak—and the math says Washington can’t simply cut its way out
- Posted on May 8, 2026
- By Fortune
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- 1 min read
The $39 trillion debt is set to surpass its postwar peak—and the math says Washington can’t simply cut its way out
A new Brookings chart book lays bare the arithmetic: balancing the budget on lower-priority spending alone is "virtually impossible," and the biggest risks ahead are mathematical.
