Shea Levin — text status

🇺🇸 U.S. Budget Deficit Nears $2 Trillion as Debt Costs Hit Record High - The U.S. budget deficit climbed to nearly $2 trillion in fiscal 2026, the largest annual shortfall in five years. Record interest payments on more than $40 trillion in federal debt, rising Social Security and Medicare costs, increased defense spending, and tariff refunds contributed to the gap. Government revenue and spending both reached records, but expenditures grew faster, pushing the deficit to an estimated 6.2% of GDP.