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The $40 trillion national debt may already be costing you

NPR | By Megan Lim,
Juana Summers, Janaya Williams
Published August 20, 2026 at 2:01 PM MDT

The $40 trillion national debt isn't just a number in Washington. It can make borrowing more expensive for everyday Americans, and every realistic plan to bring it down involves tradeoffs.

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Megan Lim
Juana Summers
Juana Summers is a host of NPR's All Things Considered.
See stories by Juana Summers
Janaya Williams
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