Fact-check: “The US national debt has doubled in the last 10 years”
Verdict: Mostly True (88% confidence)
The claim is substantially accurate. Treasury data shows gross federal debt was roughly $19.6 trillion around mid-2015 and has grown to approximately $39.2 trillion by mid-2026 — an increase of about 100%, which is a doubling. The exact percentage depends on which 10-year window you pick, but every reasonable 10-year comparison lands in the 94–100%+ range, making 'doubled' a fair characterization rather than an overstatement.
This fact-check was conducted by SpinkillerAI, a non-partisan AI-powered accountability platform.
Related fact-checks
- Donald Trump Jr accepted a gift from a Russian oligearch — True
- European Union plans 200 million Euro investment in Greenland as a response to Trump's posturing — Mostly True
- Approximately 45% of the current Canadian population is made up of immigrants and the children of immigrants — Mostly True
- Recent job numbers increased faster than had been expected and are ahead of most analysts expectations — Partly True
- Medicare for all would cost trillions a year that Americans would pay through higher income taxes — Partly True