Finally, something that is uniting voters within the United States of America.
An overwhelming 82% of Americans agree Congress must address the spiraling national debt, which surpassed $38 trillion in late 2025, according to a new poll released Wednesday.
Voters want lawmakers to urgently address what the nonpartisan Peter G. Peterson Foundation calls “the unsustainable national debt and budget outlook.”
The poll surveyed 1,004 registered voters nationwide between December 15 and December 17, 2025, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Democratic firm Global Strategy Group and Republican firm North Star Opinion Research cooperated to conduct the survey.
“As the new year begins, voters are understandably concerned about America’s fiscal direction,” said Michael A. Peterson, CEO of the Peterson Foundation. “The rapidly rising debt puts upward pressure on inflation and interest rates, driving up the cost of living and harming economic growth.”
The sharp decline in fiscal confidence follows what the foundation described as a year of unprecedented fiscal turbulence in 2025, which witnessed the “longest government shutdown in history,” the “most expensive reconciliation bill,” and the “highest interest costs ever.”
Despite deep political divisions in Washington, debt reduction emerged as one of the few issues bridging partisan lines. The survey found 79% of voters believe reducing the debt should be a “top-three priority” for both President Donald Trump and Congress.
When broken down by party affiliation, 89% of Republicans, 75% of Democrats, and 70% of independents view debt reduction as a top priority.
“Looking ahead to this election year, it will be critically important for candidates to engage voters on solutions that will help stabilize the debt and build a stronger, more prosperous 2026 and beyond,” Peterson said.
The Fiscal Confidence Index comprises three equally weighted categories: Concern, Priority, and Expectations. The December 2025 breakdown showed deep pessimism across all three metrics.
The Concern score of 49 indicates “deep concern” about the direction of the national debt. The Priority score of 22 shows Americans feel elected leaders are not currently prioritizing the debt enough. The Expectations score of 80 reveals voters remain pessimistic about whether the debt situation will improve in the coming years.
The national debt reached $38 trillion in October 2025, crossing that threshold just 70 days after hitting $37 trillion. The foundation noted that interest payments alone for the government are rising at an unprecedented pace, consuming an increasing share of federal spending.
In February 2024, when interest costs were projected to reach $870 billion for the year—more than $2 billion per day—the Fiscal Confidence Index stood at 40, with 82% of voters urging the president and Congress to spend more time on the debt.
Congressional Budget Office projections show interest payments on U.S. debt are expected to become the largest category of federal spending in just a few years, surpassing defense spending and major entitlement programs.