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THE U.S. DEBT SPIRAL
The United States now owes more than $40 trillion, and the total is still rising by billions of dollars every day. The bigger problem is not just the debt itself, but the growing amount of interest the government has to pay as older, cheaper debt gets refinanced at much higher rates.
WHY INTEREST COSTS MATTER
For years, the government was able to borrow enormous amounts of money at extremely low rates. Now, with borrowing costs at their highest levels in decades, that strategy is becoming much more expensive. The CBO projects federal interest costs could reach roughly $2.1 trillion per year by 2036.
WHO KEEPS BUYING U.S. DEBT?
The government funds its deficits by issuing Treasury bonds. That system works as long as investors are willing to keep buying them at reasonable rates. If buyers begin demanding 5%, 6%, or more to lend the government money, interest expenses increase even faster.
FOREIGN BUYERS ARE PULLING BACK
Countries such as China and Japan have historically been major holders of U.S. Treasuries. Some foreign holdings have recently declined, raising concerns about who will absorb the enormous amount of new debt the United States needs to issue.
THE SUPPLY OF DEBT IS EXPLODING
At the same time demand is being questioned, Treasury supply continues to rise. The government is running massive deficits, while corporations and AI companies are also borrowing huge amounts of money. All of them are competing for the same pool of capital.
INFLATION MAKES THE PROBLEM WORSE
Inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s target, which makes investors less willing to lock money into long term bonds at lower yields. If investors expect inflation or interest rates to remain elevated, they naturally demand a higher return.
THE DOOM LOOP
Higher yields can create a feedback loop. Higher rates increase government interest costs. Larger interest expenses create bigger deficits. Bigger deficits require more borrowing. More borrowing increases Treasury supply, which can push yields even higher.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR STOCKS
Higher Treasury yields make stocks less attractive because investors can earn competitive returns without taking as much risk. Growth stocks can be especially vulnerable because more of their value depends on profits expected many years into the future.
MORTGAGE RATES GET HIT TOO
Mortgage rates generally move with longer term Treasury yields. As those yields rise, homebuyers face larger monthly payments, affordability falls, and the housing market can slow even without the Federal Reserve directly raising mortgage rates.
COMPANIES HAVE TO REFINANCE
Trillions of dollars of corporate debt comes due over the next several years. Companies that previously borrowed at 3% may have to refinance at rates twice as high, reducing profits and leaving less money for hiring, expansion, dividends, and buybacks.
HOW DOES THIS END?
The best case is stronger economic growth, potentially helped by AI productivity, allowing the economy to grow faster than the debt. Another possibility is higher inflation and some form of financial repression, where interest rates are kept below inflation to gradually reduce the real value of the debt.
WHAT I’M DOING
I am not assuming a sudden 2008 style collapse. I am continuing to invest consistently, keeping some money in Treasuries while yields remain attractive, maintaining a cash buffer, and staying diversified across assets. The goal is not to perfectly predict what happens next. It is to be positioned well enough to handle whatever comes.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 – Intro (The Debt Spiral)
00:01:19 – The $40T Debt Problem
00:04:02 – The Danger Zone
00:06:20 – Protecting Your Privacy
00:08:10 – The Doom Loop
00:11:34 – The Exit Plan
00:14:04 – How To Prepare
For business inquiries, you can reach me at grahamstephanbusiness@gmail.com
*Some of the links and other products that appear on this video are from companies which Graham Stephan will earn an affiliate commission or referral bonus. Graham Stephan is part of an affiliate network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. This is not investment advice.
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