President Joe Biden added approximately $8.4 trillion to the U.S. national debt during his four years in office from January 2021 to January 2025. The national debt rose from about $27.8 trillion to $36.2 trillion in this period
. This increase includes around $4.7 trillion in net new ten-year debt approved through legislation and executive actions, which factors in both deficit-increasing and deficit-reducing measures. Key contributors include the American Rescue Plan, infrastructure spending, veterans' health care, and student debt relief, partially offset by deficit reductions from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Fiscal Responsibility Act
. Estimates vary slightly depending on the source and methodology:
- The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) estimates $4.7 trillion in net new ten-year debt approved by Biden, including $6.6 trillion in deficit-increasing actions and $1.9 trillion in deficit-reducing actions
- Other analyses report the total increase in the national debt during Biden's term as about $8.4 trillion, largely driven by COVID-19 relief measures and subsequent spending
- Some sources project that Biden's spending policies have led to the debt being $7.2 trillion higher than projected when Trump left office, with a likely net increase exceeding $9 trillion by the end of Biden's term
In summary, President Biden's tenure saw the national debt increase by roughly $8.4 trillion, driven by pandemic relief, infrastructure investments, and other legislative actions, with some deficit-reducing measures partially offsetting the total borrowing
