Will Campaign Promises Burden National Debt Further?

A new report from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) has raised alarms over the potential impact of campaign proposals from former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris on the United States’ national debt. The findings suggest that the financial implications of their plans could lead to an increase in the national debt by trillions of dollars.

How Much Will the Debt Increase?

CRFB estimates that Trump’s tax and spending initiatives could add approximately $7.5 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, while Harris’s proposals are likely to contribute around $3.5 trillion. Together, these commitments pose a staggering total increase of nearly $11 trillion to the national debt.

What Specific Policies Are Contributing?

Harris’s agenda includes significant boosts to child tax credits, healthcare, housing support, and education spending. Conversely, Trump’s focus lies on extending tax cuts, reducing corporate taxes, enhancing defense budgets, and tightening immigration policies. These extensive proposals from both candidates suggest a substantial rise in debt.

Key insights from the CRFB report include:

• Trump’s debt increase is projected to range from $1.45 trillion to $15.15 trillion.
• Harris’s potential debt impact is estimated between $0 and $8.1 trillion.
• Both candidates lack a clear strategy to address the mounting national debt.
• High debt levels may adversely affect economic growth, interest rates, and national security.

While both candidates have proposed ways to mitigate their economic impacts—increasing corporate taxes and taxes on high earners by Harris, and implementing new tariffs and spending cuts by Trump—the projections indicate a troubling trajectory for the national debt, raising concerns about the overall economic and financial stability of the nation.