History of our National Debt
| Total Debt Change Percentage in Office Per President | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | Year | Debt At Start ($) | Debt When Leaving Office ($) | Debt Change Percentage | Total Debt Change ($) |
| Joe Biden | 2021-present | $28,428,918,570,048.60 | $33,167,334,044,723.10 | 16.67% | $4,738,415,474,674.50 |
| Donald J. Trump | 2017-2021 | $20,244,900,016,053.50 | $28,428,918,570,048.60 | 40.43% | $8,184,018,553,995.10 |
| Barack Obama | 2009–2017 | $11,909,829,003,511.70 | $20,244,900,016,053.50 | 69.98% | $8,335,071,012,541.80 |
| George W. Bush | 2001–2009 | $5,807,463,412,200.06 | $11,909,829,003,511.70 | 105.08% | $6,102,365,591,311.64 |
| William J. Clinton | 1993–2001 | $4,411,488,883,139.38 | $5,807,463,412,200.06 | 31.64% | $1,395,974,529,060.68 |
| George H. W. Bush | 1989–1993 | $2,857,430,960,187.32 | $4,411,488,883,139.38 | 54.39% | $1,554,057,922,952.06 |
| Ronald Reagan | 1981–1989 | $997,855,000,000.00 | $2,857,430,960,187.32 | 186.36% | $1,859,575,960,187.32 |
| Jimmy Carter | 1977–1981 | $698,840,000,000.00 | 997,855,000,000.00 | 42.79% | $299,015,000,000.00 |
| Gerald Ford | 1974–1977 | $475,059,815,731.55 | 698,840,000,000.00 | 47.11% | $223,780,184,268.45 |
| Richard Nixon | 1969–1974 | $353,720,253,841.41 | $475,059,815,731.55 | 34.30% | $121,339,561,890.14 |
| Lyndon Johnson | 1963–1969 | $305,859,632,996.41 | $353,720,253,841.41 | 15.65% | $47,860,620,845.00 |
| John F. Kennedy | 1961–1963 | $288,970,938,610.05 | $305,859,632,996.41 | 5.84% | $16,888,694,386.36 |
| Dwight Eisenhower | 1953–1961 | $266,071,061,638.57 | $288,970,938,610.05 | 8.61% | $22,899,876,971.48 |
| Harry S. Truman | 1945–1953 | $258,682,187,409.93 | $266,071,061,638.57 | 2.86% | $7,388,874,228.64 |
| Franklin D. Roosevelt | 1933–1945 | $22,538,672,560.15 | $258,682,187,409.93 | 1047.73% | $236,143,514,849.78 |
| Herbert Hoover | 1929–1933 | $16,931,088,484.10 | $22,538,672,560.15 | 33.12% | $5,607,584,076.05 |
| Calvin Coolidge | 1923–1929 | $22,349,707,365.36 | $16,931,088,484.10 | -24.24% | -$5,418,618,881.26 |
| Warren Harding | 1921–1923 | $23,977,450,552.54 | $22,349,707,365.36 | -6.79% | -$1,627,743,187.18 |
| Woodrow Wilson | 1913–1921 | $2,916,204,913.66 | $23,977,450,552.54 | 722.21% | $21,061,245,638.88 |
| William H. Taft | 1909–1913 | $2,639,546,241.04 | $2,916,204,913.66 | 10.48% | $276,658,672.62 |
| Theodore Roosevelt | 1901–1909 | $2,143,326,933.89 | $2,639,546,241.04 | 23.15% | $496,219,307.15 |
| William McKinley | 1897–1901 | $1,817,672,665.90 | $2,143,326,933.89 | 17.92% | $325,654,267.99 |
| Grover Cleveland | 1893–1897 | $1,545,985,686.13 | $1,817,672,665.90 | 17.57% | $271,686,979.77 |
| Benjamin Harrison | 1889–1893 | $1,619,052,922.23 | $1,545,985,686.13 | -4.51% | -$73,067,236.10 |
| Grover Cleveland | 1885–1889 | $1,863,964,873.14 | $1,619,052,922.23 | -13.14% | -$244,911,950.91 |
| Chester Arthur | 1881–1885 | $2,069,013,569.58 | $1,863,964,873.14 | -9.91% | -$205,048,696.44 |
| James Garfield | 1881 | $2,069,013,569.58 | $2,069,013,569.58 | n/a | n/a |
| Rutherford B. Hayes | 1877–1881 | $2,205,301,392.10 | $2,069,013,569.58 | -6.18% | -$136,287,822.52 |
| Ulysses S. Grant | 1869–1877 | $2,588,452,213.94 | $2,205,301,392.10 | -14.80% | -$383,150,821.84 |
| Andrew Johnson | 1865–1869 | $2,680,647,869.74 | $2,588,452,213.94 | -3.44% | -$92,195,655.80 |
| Abraham Lincoln | 1861–1865 | $90,580,873.72 | $2,680,647,869.74 | 2859.40% | $2,590,066,996.02 |
| James Buchanan | 1857–1861 | $28,699,831.85 | $90,580,873.72 | 215.61% | $61,881,041.87 |
| Franklin Pierce | 1853–1857 | $59,803,117.70 | $28,699,831.85 | -52.01% | -$31,103,285.85 |
| Millard Fillmore | 1850–1853 | $63,452,773.55 | $59,803,117.70 | -5.75% | -$3,649,655.85 |
| Zachary Taylor | 1849–1850 | $63,061,858.69 | $63,452,773.55 | 0.62% | $390,914.86 |
| James Polk | 1845–1849 | $15,925,303.01 | $63,061,858.69 | 295.99% | $47,136,555.68 |
| John Tyler | 1841–1845 | $5,250,875.54 | $15,925,303.01 | 203.29% | $10,674,427.47 |
| William Henry Harrison | 1841 | $5,250,875.54 | $5,250,875.54 | n/a | n/a |
| Martin Van Buren | 1837–1841 | $336,957.83 | $5,250,875.54 | 1458.32% | $4,913,917.71 |
| Andrew Jackson | 1829–1837 | $58,421,413.67 | $336,957.83 | -99.42% | -$58,084,455.84 |
| John Quincy Adams | 1825–1829 | $83,788,432.71 | $58,421,413.67 | -30.28% | -$25,367,019.04 |
| James Monroe | 1817–1825 | $123,491,965.16 | $83,788,432.71 | -32.15% | -$39,703,532.45 |
| James Madison | 1809–1817 | $57,023,192.09 | $123,491,965.16 | 116.56% | $66,468,773.07 |
| Thomas Jefferson | 1801–1809 | $83,038,050.80 | $57,023,192.09 | -31.33% | -$26,014,858.71 |
| John Adams | 1797–1801 | $82,064,479.33 | $83,038,050.80 | 1.19% | $973,571.47 |
| George Washington | 1789–1797 | $71,060,508.50 | 82,064,479.33 | 15.49% | $11,003,970.83 |