US national debt surpasses $40 trillion as Iran war enters sixth month

The US national debt exceeded $40 trillion for the first time on August 19, 2026. The milestone arrives amid a nearly six-month war with Iran that Trump initiated and his rebranding of the Department of Defense as the Department of War. Senator Jon Ossoff charged that Trump "sleeps through his meetings" and "golfs and trades stocks," sharpening Democrats' critique of presidential disengagement.