US national debt surpasses $36 trillion

America’s national debt has grown by $2 trillion in less than a year, the latest data show

America’s national debt has surpassed $36 trillion for the first time in its history, the US Debt Clock – a website monitoring the nation’s finances in real time – reported on Friday.

In total, the US national debt grew by nearly 6% between January and November, increasing by $1 trillion in less than four months.  In late July, the US Treasury announced that it had surpassed $35 trillion.