How Washington’s interest bill on the $40 trillion national debt exploded 14% in just 9 months

Washington's carrying costs grew 14% for the first 10 months of fiscal 2026, rising from $846 billion to $963 billion. This increase is driven by two factors: a 7.3% swelling in federal debt to $40 trillion and significant spikes in interest rates (e.g., the 10-year yield advanced from 4.37% to 4.69%). The budget deficit mushroomed by 10% to $1.8 trillion through July.