BELLINGS

Hiltzik: The U.S. national debt has reached $40 trillion. Should you care?

News that the national debt has reached $40 trillion inspired lots of partisan hand-wringing — and even more misunderstanding.

News that the national debt has reached $40 trillion inspired lots of partisan hand-wringing — and even more misunderstanding.

BELLINGS Intelligence Score: 65

Why it matters

The U.S. national debt reaching $40 trillion is a significant structural milestone with broad implications for fiscal policy, credit markets, and sovereign risk perceptions, warranting attention from credit-market professionals despite limited immediate market disruption.

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