JD Vance Says $40 Trillion U.S. Debt Is Biden’s Fault, And Critics Are Tired Of The Blame Game

Vice President JD Vance faulted the Biden administration for the record-breaking $40 trillion U.S. debt, but his Thursday night comments partially backfired, as many social media users expressed their exhaustion with the administration’s blame game.

“Even though the debt is too high, even though we inherited this debt bomb from the Biden administration, we actually do have a plan to get the economy growing faster than the debt,” Vance said in an appearance on Newsmax.

JD Vance’s response to the US debt hitting $40 trillion is to blame Biden pic.twitter.com/S5EIQqUqlN

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 20, 2026

“The issue that we’ve had under the Biden administration, and what we’re still kind of dealing with, is that the debt was growing faster than American GDP. That’s the problem,” he continued.

The national debt hit the $40 trillion mark this week, months after it reached $38 trillion in October. The debt has continued to grow under multiple presidencies, with both Democrats and Republicans sharing responsibility.

According to a Reuters report, the U.S debt increased by $8.4 trillion during Biden’s four-year term, and rose by $11.6 trillion under Trump’s two terms so far.

Vance on Thursday teased a “very discreet plan” by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, claiming the administration is “on track” to grow the U.S economy to outpace the growing debt.

The vice president’s appearance on Newsmax was quickly ridiculed online, with critics pointing out the Trump administration’s own spending.

Around $12 trillion, or roughly 30% of today’s entire $40 trillion U.S. national debt, was added by the two Trump administrations.

Vance is lying. As usual. https://t.co/RtFStKyL7V

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) August 20, 2026

29% of the national debt was a result of spending under Trump’s presidencies.

Blaming Biden for everything that Trump does is getting really tired. https://t.co/jUas0L2CtC

— Melanie D’Arrigo (@DarrigoMelanie) August 20, 2026

The reason this debt has ballooned is that partisans like this dude want to point the finger rather than look in the mirror. This won’t get fixed by the duopoly of doom. A third party or indie candidate is only shot we have to sober up the elected officials. https://t.co/CMo3GSjIFJ

— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) August 20, 2026

If you voted for the Big Beautiful Bill, please don’t get on here and express righteous indignation that the debt is now $40 trillion. Anyone with a room temperature IQ knew that cutting taxes and increasing spending was going to balloon the deficit. https://t.co/4VnNihauVu

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) August 20, 2026

Lmao of course 🙄….surely Trump’s war of choice with Iran and his Big Beautiful Bullshit Bill had nothing to do with the debt https://t.co/p0b3Ujzybu

Read more Trump’s Economic D-Day Threat Over Iran Branded A ‘Complete S**t Show’

— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) August 20, 2026