The United States federal budget deficit reached $1.966 trillion in the first eleven months of fiscal year 2026, driven by higher spending commitments and rising debt service burdens. Gross interest outlays on Treasury securities climbed to $1.267 trillion, up 12.7% from the previous year, even as customs duties and overall tax receipts expanded modestly.
The US Department of the Treasury's monthly statement for August recorded 360.0 billion dollars in receipts and 526.8 billion dollars in outlays, resulting in a monthly deficit of 166.8 billion dollars. With one month remaining in the fiscal year, the cumulative shortfall reached 1.966 trillion dollars, compared to 1.973 trillion dollars during the identical eleven-month period a year earlier.[1], [2]
Gross interest paid on US Treasury debt securities totaled 97.8 billion dollars in August, lifting fiscal year-to-date interest costs to 1.267 trillion dollars. This represents a significant increase from the 1.124 trillion dollars paid during the same period in the prior fiscal year, reflecting higher benchmark interest rates across the maturity spectrum and a growing aggregate stock of outstanding public debt.[1], [2]
Cumulative federal receipts for the eleven months rose to 4.845 trillion dollars from 4.691 trillion dollars in the previous year. Customs duties contributed 12.836 billion dollars in August and 167.3 billion dollars over the eleven-month span, slightly above the 165.2 billion dollars collected over the same period last year.[1]
