Borrowed, it costs $56 billion a year, more than all foreign affairs
Source. Treasury Fiscal Data, Average Interest Rates on U.S. Treasury Securities, total interest-bearing debt, August 2026 (3.49%); OMB, Historical Tables, FY2027 Budget, Table 3.1. Also: OMB, Table 3.1. Rate of August 2026; functions FY2025.
Method and data
Method. Interest = $1,597.7 billion × 3.49% = $55.8 billion a year; ÷ 342.739 million residents = $163 each. On $1,226.4 billion, $42.8 billion. Functions 150 (international affairs), 250 (general science, space and technology), 500 (education, training, employment and social services) and 750 (administration of justice), FY2025 actuals. The rate is held constant.
| Item | US dollars, billions |
|---|---|
| Interest on $1.60T at 3.49% | 55.8 |
| Interest on $1.23T at 3.49% | 42.8 |
| International affairs, FY2025 | 45.2 |
| General science, space and technology, FY2025 | 42.0 |
| Education, training and social services, FY2025 | 72.0 |
| Administration of justice, FY2025 | 83.1 |
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Higgins Strategy. “Borrowed, it costs $56 billion a year, more than all foreign affairs” Exhibit 7, Five Thousand Dollars Each (Study XI). October 12, 2026. https://higginsstrategy.com/charts/11-05-interest-per-year-comparisons/