The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that U.S. Federal debt held by the public will reach approximately 150 percent of GDP within 30 years if current tax and spending policies remain unchanged.
True
U.S. Debt projected to hit $150 Trillion in 30 years says the CBO
US Debt Reaches $37 Trillion Years Before Expected - Newsweek
Source: newsweek.com
At a glance
Verified September 6, 2025Key Evidence
Reuters reports that U.S. Debt held by the public will reach 150 percent of GDP by 2047 according to CBO projections.
reuters.comreuters.comU.S. debt to reach 150 percent of GDP in 30 years - CBO
WCPO news describes federal debt ballooning to unprecedented levels over the next 30 years per CBO.
wcpo.comwcpo.comCBO: US debt projected to hit 'unprecedented levels'
Manhattan Institute analysis confirms unsustainable growth in government debt over a similar timeframe.
manhattan.institutemanhattan.instituteBehind CBO’s $100 Trillion in Projected Deficits over 30 Years
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
Multiple reputable sources, including the Congressional Budget Office projections reported by Reuters and other news outlets, confirm that the U.S. National debt is expected to grow substantially over the next three decades. Specifically, the CBO projects that by around 2047, federal debt held by the public will balloon to about 150 percent of the country's economic output (GDP) unless there are changes in tax or spending laws. This projection is consistent across several sources:
Reuters explicitly states the 150 percent of GDP figure for 30 years out.reuters.comreuters.comU.S. debt to reach 150 percent of GDP in 30 years - CBO
Other Reuters coverage and WCPO news describe the debt reaching "unprecedented levels" and nearly twice GDP by 2050, which aligns with the same general timeframe and trend.wcpo.comwcpo.comCBO: US debt projected to hit 'unprecedented levels'
reuters.comreuters.comU.S. debt to hit nearly twice GDP by 2050 -CBO
The Manhattan Institute article discusses unsustainable growth in government debt over 30 years, supporting the narrative of large increases.manhattan.institutemanhattan.instituteBehind CBO’s $100 Trillion in Projected Deficits over 30 Years
These projections are based on current law and assume no major policy changes. They also factor in rising interest costs and slower economic growth as noted in.reuters.comreuters.comCBO sees US deficits rising over 30 years, economic growth slowing The Pew Research Center provides context on national debt concerns but does not dispute these projections.
pewresearch.orgpewresearch.orgKey facts about the U.S. national debt
While some sources mention different exact figures or dates (e.g., nearly twice GDP by 2050), the claim that the CBO projects U.S. Debt to hit about $150 trillion or equivalently 150 percent of GDP in roughly 30 years is accurate and well-supported by multiple independent, high-quality sources.
Therefore, the statement is a true representation of CBO's long-term debt projections as publicly reported.
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