The national debt now totals $40 trillion, or about 123% of the gross domestic product, as it’s getting costlier to pay down. Few politicians are eager to confront the issue.

The federal debt reached $40 trillion as the government adds red ink at a rapid rate. That's leading nervous investors to demand higher interest rates —pushing up borrowing costs…

Federal debt has mounted amid tax cuts and trillions in pandemic spending, adding to the nation's interest payments.

The national debt is now over $40 trillion, a historic high that economists warn is bad news for the United States.