Our $40,000,000,000,000 debt

我们四十万亿债务

Today, Explained

2026-08-28

25 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

The US debt keeps breaking records. Should we panic? This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. An electronic display shows the national debt in Washington, DC on August 19, 2026, after the US gross national debt surged past $40 trillion for the first time. Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast⁠.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
更多

单集文稿 ...

  • 40 trillion.

  • A four followed by 13 zeros.

  • The distance from the Earth to Pluto and back in feet, depending on where the Earth is and where Pluto is.

  • Roughly the amount of water in gallons found in Lake Tahoe.

  • 1.2 million years, but in second.

  • Is any of this helping?

  • How about this?

  • 40 trillion is how much debt the United States has as of this month.

  • Which averages out to about $116,000 per American.

  • On Today Explained from Vox, how we got here,

  • how to think about being here, how to get the heck out of here.

  • Class it up with Crocs.

  • You know back to school is coming in fast, so why wait to find your new faithful wear?

  • Step into a local Crocs store and step into your new look.

  • Try it.

  • Style it.

  • Make it yours.

  • Because the right pair doesn't just show up.

  • It shows off.

  • First day fixed, handled.