Fact-check: “The US national debt has doubled in the last 10 years”
Verdict: Mostly True (88% confidence)
The US total federal debt has grown by roughly 100% or more over any 10-year window ending in the mid-2020s, which fits the plain meaning of 'doubled.' A Fortune article from October 2024 explicitly confirmed that 'total federal debt has doubled to a benumbing $35.4 trillion' over the prior 10 years. Official Treasury and Federal Reserve data show gross debt rising from around $17–18 trillion circa 2014–2016 to over $36–39 trillion by 2024–2026, representing a 100–110% increase. The claim is sl…
This fact-check was conducted by SpinkillerAI, a non-partisan AI-powered accountability platform.
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