In 2023, the U.S. government had a budget deficit of 1.69 trillion U.S. dollars. This is compared to 2000, when the government had a budget surplus of 0.24 trillion U.S. dollars.

U.S. Government budget

The government budget is a financial statement that demonstrates the government’s suggested revenues and spending for the financial year. Budget surpluses occur when income exceeds expenditures. Budget deficits occur when spending exceeds income. The budget balance of the U.S. government has fluctuated since 2016, and is expected to decrease slightly by 2026.

Military spending

Defense outlays in the United States amounted to 714 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. It is expected to continue to increase over the next several years. The United States currently has the largest defense budget in the world, and is the largest employer in the world. The military budget funds the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. The amount of funding that goes towards the Department of Defense is heavily criticized by Democrats in the United States, because they believe that the funding should be more evenly distributed towards other social welfare programs such as public health insurance and education.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit - from Oct 1980 to Apr 2025 about budget, federal, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit [-] as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYFSDFYGDP) from 1930 to 2023 about budget, federal, percent, GDP, and USA.

The forecasted budget balance for the U.S. government is predicted to fluctuate between the fiscal years of 2024 and 2034. This forecast predicts a deficit of 2.58 trillion U.S. dollars by fiscal year 2034. A fiscal year covers the period from October 1 to September 30 of a given year.

The U.S. budget deficit amounted to roughly 1.7 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, which was around 6.3 percent of the U.S. GDP. The forecast predicts a state deficit of about 2.58 trillion U.S. dollars in 2034, which would be about 6.2 percent of the U.S. GDP. The GDP of the United States since 1990 can be accessed here.

Australia recorded a Government Budget surplus equal to 0.90 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2023. This dataset provides - Australia Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Brazil recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 8.50 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Brazil Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Japan recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 6.40 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2022. This dataset provides - Japan Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This table shows the net transactions for the current month, and the current and prior fiscal year-to-date, as well as account balances for the beginning of the current fiscal year and current accounting month and the close of the current accounting month. This activity is related to the means used to finance the budget deficit or to dispose of a budget surplus. An asset account would represent an asset to the United States Government, for example United States Treasury Operating Cash. A liability account would represent a liability to the United States Government, for example Borrowing from the Public. This table includes total and subtotal rows that should be excluded when aggregating data. Some rows represent elements of the dataset's hierarchy, but are not assigned values. The classification_id for each of these elements can be used as the parent_id for underlying data elements to calculate their implied values. Subtotal rows are available to access this same information.

In the first quarter of 2024, the U.S. government's budget balance amounted to a net borrowing of about 2.09 trillion U.S. dollars. This is compared to the first quarter of 2009, when the U.S. government borrowed about 1.79 trillion U.S. dollars.

The budget balance in relation to the GDP in the United States lies at approximately -6.46 percent in 2025.Fluctuating decline between 2001 and 2025A comparison to the earliest shown observation from 2001 reveals a total decrease by approximately 5.92 percentage points. The trajectory from 2001 to 2025 shows however that this decrease did not happen continuously.Fluctuating rise between 2025 and 2030In 2030 the budget balance will be about -5.61 percent, according to forecasts. From 2025 onwards, there is an overall increase by approximately 0.85 percentage points.The indicator describes the general government net lending/borrowing which is calculated as revenue minus total expenditure. The International Monetary Fund defines the general government expenditure as consisting of total expense and the net acquisition of nonfinancial assets. The general government revenue consists of the revenue from taxes, social contributions, grants receivable, and other revenue.

This summary table shows, for Budget Receipts, the total amount of activity for the current month, the current fiscal year-to-date, the comparable prior period year-to-date and the budgeted amount estimated for the current fiscal year for various types of receipts (i.e. individual income tax, corporate income tax, etc.). The Budget Outlays section of the table shows the total amount of activity for the current month, the current fiscal year-to-date, the comparable prior period year-to-date and the budgeted amount estimated for the current fiscal year for agencies of the federal government. The table also shows the amounts for the budget/surplus deficit categorized as listed above. This table includes total and subtotal rows that should be excluded when aggregating data. Some rows represent elements of the dataset's hierarchy, but are not assigned values. The classification_id for each of these elements can be used as the parent_id for underlying data elements to calculate their implied values. Subtotal rows are available to access this same information.

This summary table shows the on-budget and off-budget receipts and outlays, the on-budget and off-budget surplus/deficit, and the means of financing the budget surplus/deficit. The table also shows the budgeted amounts estimated in the President's Budget for the current fiscal year and next fiscal year for each item on the table. This table includes total and subtotal rows that should be excluded when aggregating data. Some rows represent elements of the dataset's hierarchy, but are not assigned values. The classification_id for each of these elements can be used as the parent_id for underlying data elements to calculate their implied values. Subtotal rows are available to access this same information.

Spain recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 3.60 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2023. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Spain Government Budget - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Poland Central Government Budget: Deficit or Surplus: Year to Date data was reported at -76,284,600.000 PLN th in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of -36,341,070.000 PLN th for Feb 2025. Poland Central Government Budget: Deficit or Surplus: Year to Date data is updated monthly, averaging -15,655,808.161 PLN th from Jan 2002 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 279 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51,888,134.000 PLN th in Oct 2021 and a record low of -210,928,600.000 PLN th in Dec 2024. Poland Central Government Budget: Deficit or Surplus: Year to Date data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Poland – Table PL.F005: State Budget: State Budget Act.

United States - Federal government budget surplus or deficit (-) was -3132.61100 Bil. of $ in January of 2020, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Federal government budget surplus or deficit (-) reached a record high of 236.23900 in January of 2000 and a record low of -3132.61100 in January of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Federal government budget surplus or deficit (-) - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

In September 2023, the national debt of the United States had risen up to 33.17 trillion U.S. dollars. The national debt per capita had risen to 85,552 U.S. dollars in 2021. As represented by the statistic above, the public debt of the United States has been continuously rising.

U.S. public debt Public debt, also known as national and governmental debt, is the debt owed by a nations’ central government. In the case of the U.S., national debt is owed by the federal government to Treasury security holders. Generally speaking, government debt increases with government spending, and can be decreased through taxes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government increased spending significantly to finance virus infrastructure, aid, and various forms of economic relief.

International public debt

Venezuela leads the global ranking of the 20 countries with the highest public debt in 2021. In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Venezuela's public debt amounted to around 306.95 percent of GDP. Eritrea was ranked fifth, with an estimated debt of 170 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

The national debt of the United Kingdom is forecasted to grow from 87 percent in 2022 to 70 percent in 2027, in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. These figures include England, Wales, Scotland as well as Northern Ireland.

Greece had the highest national debt among EU countries as of the 4th quarter of 2020 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Germany ranked 13th in the EU, with its national debt amounting to 69 percent of GDP in the same time period.

Tuvalu was one of the 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2021 in relation to the GDP, while Macao had an estimated level of national debt of zero percent, the lowest of any country. The data refer to the debts of the entire state, including the central government, the provinces, municipalities, local authorities and social insurance.

This summary table shows the total amount of receipts and outlays and the amount of the budget surplus/deficit by month for the current and prior fiscal years. This table includes total and subtotal rows that should be excluded when aggregating data. Some rows represent elements of the dataset's hierarchy, but are not assigned values. The classification_id for each of these elements can be used as the parent_id for underlying data elements to calculate their implied values. Subtotal rows are available to access this same information.

The income of Russia's federal budget reached over 29 trillion Russian rubles in 2021, which was approximately 3.3 trillion Russian rubles below its expenditure. In other words, Russia achieved a budget deficit in that year. For instance, in the second quarter of 2023, the budget deficit was recorded at 2.35 trillion Russian rubles.

Australia Government Budget: Surplus or Deficit data was reported at -199.000 AUD mn in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14,153.000 AUD mn for Feb 2025. Australia Government Budget: Surplus or Deficit data is updated monthly, averaging -496.100 AUD mn from Jul 1973 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 591 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 26,767.000 AUD mn in May 2023 and a record low of -33,374.000 AUD mn in Jul 2020. Australia Government Budget: Surplus or Deficit data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.F007: General Government: Cashflow Statement.