The US national debt has crossed the $40 trillion mark for the first time, according to Treasury data showed on Wednesday. The milestone comes as rising spending on defence, Social Security and Medicare, alongside mounting interest payments, pushes federal borrowing to a record level.

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.