Last month, Moody’s Bond Rating Service downgraded U.S. national debt from Aaa to Aa1, driving America’s national debt borrowing costs up by 0.45 basis points in a single day.

As of May 19, 2025, at 7:17 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, the national debt was $36,218,929,729,031. When Treasury Bonds mature under deficit spending, they must be paid and we issue new bonds to replace the old matured bonds at current interest rates and borrowing costs. The cost for using this money changes according to the strength of our credit ratings and the financial markets at the time of issue.

Paying 0.45 percent higher borrowing costs on a $36.2 trillion national debt cost the U.S. Treasury $1.63 trillion each year in additional interest expense once the change gets fully integrated throughout our nation’s deficit portfolio.

In a little over 110 days, our country has begun adding $1.63 triillion a year in greater borrowing costs to an already staggering $36.22 trillion national debt.

Costs on the order of this magnitude will continue to grow with each rating downgrade, even without any additional spending. Continued deficit spending compounded with stupid governmental leadership then completes us as a nation; you simply can’t afford to live here.

LANCE A. HEITZ

Presque Isle