The debt shows almost a $7 trillion rise compared with late January 2020, when COVID-19 had not yet hit the US economy.
Financial experts interviewed by US media said the new maximum was reached several years earlier than the country's authorities predicted as a result of trillions spent on fighting the pandemic. According to the New York Times, the additional expenses in recent years included increased amounts of the unemployment benefit, enhanced support for small businesses and incentive payments.
Some economists argue that the record US national debt does not indicate a problem, since the country's economy continues to grow despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and the interest rate remains low.