The national debt hit a record $39 trillion this week, which comes as spending on defense ramps up after an attack on Iran and heightened tension in the Middle East.

Here's a look at when the country could hit the next milestone of $40 trillion.

National Debt Climbs to $39 Trillion

After hitting the $38 trillion milestone in October 2025, the U.S. national debt has passed its newest milestone of $39 trillion.

At the time of writing, the current national debt stands at $39,008,821,000,000, according to DebtClock.org.

That large figure translates to each U.S. citizen owing the equivalent of $113,616. While this doesn't mean the government will come knocking on your door for payment, the figure quantifies the magnitude of the national shortfall.

When factoring in only taxpayers in the country, the amount soars to $357,068 per U.S. taxpayer.

The federal debt to GDP ratio has soared in recent years and now stands at 124.8%. For comparison, the figure was 58.7% in 2000, 34.5% in 1980 and 53.1% in 1960.

The largest expenditures that impact the national debt are currently Medicare/Medicaid ($1.95 trillion), Social Security ($1.62 trillion), Defense/War Spending ($932.5 billion) and Debt Interest ($993.5 billion).

When Could National Debt Hit $40 Trillion?

The pace of debt has soared over the last two years. The debt went from $36 trillion in November 2024 to $37 trillion in August 2025 (nine months). Two months later, the debt hit $38 trillion.

This was the fastest accumulation of $1 trillion in additional debt outside of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, five months later, the national debt hit its next milestone.

The national debt is currently rising by around $6 billion to $7 billion per day. This means $1 trillion could be added to the figure in 4.76 months to 5.56 months. This would put $40 trillion within striking distance by mid-August or early September.

"At the current growth rate, we will hit a staggering $40 trillion in national debt before this fall's elections," Michael Peterson, CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation nonprofit told the Associated Press. "Borrowing trillion after trillion at this rapid pace with no plan in place is the definition of unsustainable."

Peterson said, "We must recognize this alarming rate of growth and the significant financial burden we are putting on the next generation."

The war in Iran could have the United States hit the $40 trillion mark faster, depending on the length of the current conflict. Director of the National Economic Council of the United States Kevin Hassett said the country has spent over $12 billion on the war to date through Sunday.

Factors like wars and tax cuts can impact the rate of change in the national debt. The federal debt has gone up under Democratic and Republican presidents, making this a potential bipartisan issue.

Image via Shutterstock/ zimmytws