Partisan Shutdown Standoff Overlooks America’s Real Threat: The Soaring National Debt

The ongoing shutdown battle between Democrats and Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump has largely ignored two of the most pressing financial challenges facing the United States — the surging national debt and the long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare.

The current standoff, the 15th partial federal shutdown since 1981, stems from Democrats’ new spending proposals that, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, would cost about $1.5 trillion over the next decade — adding to a national debt that already stands near $38 trillion.

“We have enormous real problems in this country, but instead of working to bridge divisions and address our fiscal challenges, both parties are stuck in a never-ending messaging war,” said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, which advocates deficit reduction.

The Senate has repeatedly voted on two competing funding packages — one passed by the Republican-controlled House and backed by Trump, which would reopen federal agencies at current funding levels through November 21, and another supported by Democrats that would increase spending, largely for healthcare.

Despite a federal deficit approaching $2 trillion, there has been little to no discussion about how to reduce it.

For most of the past four decades, government shutdowns were tied to disputes over spending, deficits, or balanced-budget requirements. But since Trump took office in 2017, shutdowns have more often revolved around social and political issues, including immigration and healthcare.

The current impasse focuses on $1.7 trillion in agency funding, just a quarter of annual federal expenditures.

Meanwhile, independent analysts warn that the U.S. is drifting into a worsening financial position, with debt rising faster than the economy, interest payments crowding out spending on key programs, and weakened trust funds threatening Social Security and Medicare benefits for retirees.

The Rising Debt

Over the past 25 years, the national debt has ballooned from $5.67 trillion to $37.88 trillion — climbing steadily regardless of which party controlled the White House or Congress. Interest payments alone now exceed $1 trillion annually, surpassing defense spending, while funding shortfalls loom for major entitlement programs, potentially triggering deep cuts to benefits.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders have warned about the impact of excessive spending on the debt, though most GOP rhetoric has centered on attacking “radical” Democratic priorities rather than offering fiscal solutions. Democrats, for their part, have largely sidestepped the debt issue, instead blaming Republicans for ballooning deficits through Trump-era tax cuts and spending bills, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will add $4.1 trillion to the deficit over a decade. The office also projected that $4 trillion in new revenue from Trump’s tariffs could partially offset that cost.

“I think Donald Trump will spend any amount of money if it serves his own interests,” said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.

Few Fiscal Hawks Left

A handful of Republican fiscal conservatives continue to call for restraint. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has repeatedly voted against his own party’s funding bill, arguing that — like the Democrats’ version — it would only add to the debt.

Others share that concern but see the shutdown as a deliberate political tactic by party leaders and appropriators to maintain control over spending decisions while avoiding the politically difficult trade-offs needed to cut deficits.

“To the outside world, it looks chaotic. But it’s a very calculated process,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, who has introduced legislation to end shutdowns and roll back federal spending to pre-pandemic levels.

“What you’re seeing here — this shutdown standoff — is the magician’s shiny object. ‘Look over here!’ Don’t look at the $37 trillion debt,” Johnson told reporters.

Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas expressed hope that full Republican control of the White House and Congress could eventually lead to $6.4 trillion in spending cuts — a first step toward a balanced budget.

“This is a political shutdown,” Marshall told Reuters. “My goal — and the goal of Republicans — is to keep the government open and move toward a responsible budget. But no one wants to hear that.”

Whether the debt and deficit will regain political focus remains uncertain. Some Republicans believe that only mounting economic strain from debt will force change.

“We are sleepwalking into a debt crisis,” warned Jessica Riedl, a senior fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute. “The real pain may not be felt for years, but the decisions being made today virtually guarantee that we won’t escape it.”