On August 20, as the U.S. government borrows at an unprecedented pace, the total national debt has surpassed $40 trillion. Despite Trump's promise to control government spending, the ever-expanding debt continues to raise concerns among investors regarding the state of U.S. public finances. According to data released by the U.S. Treasury on Wednesday, the federal debt crossed the $40 trillion threshold on Tuesday. Over the past year, the debt has increased by $3 trillion, marking the fastest growth rate in history, excluding the pandemic period. "It's like a huge warning light on a car engine," said Mark Goldwyn, senior policy director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. "This doesn't mean the engine will burn out tomorrow, but it is a clear signal that things have gotten out of control. The issue is not just the sheer size of the debt, but the speed at which we reached this level." Over the past two decades, the national debt of the United States has surged dramatically, rising from less than $6 trillion at the turn of the century to its current level. Massive public spending during the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the widening budget deficit. In just the past decade, the overall debt has doubled. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the federal debt held by the public will exceed 106% of GDP around 2030, surpassing the historical peak set in 1946 after World War II, and will further climb to 120% by 2036.