September 21, 2026
‘Financial Issues’ host: The greatest long-term threat to America’s economy — national debt
‘The strength of the American economy should never become an excuse for continuing to spend money we do not have,’ says Mark Minnella
PHILADELPHIA — For the first time in the nation’s history, the U.S. gross national debt surpassed $40 trillion last month. The federal government is accruing debt at an increasing pace, posing looming fiscal challenges for political leaders both currently in office and competing in the November elections.
As revealed earlier this year by the annual report of Social Security and Medicare Trustees, the core Social Security trust fund is projected to be depleted in 2032. “Meanwhile, the growth in the national debt coupled with higher interest rates has caused the cost of servicing America’s debt to surge as the fast-growing portion of the federal budget, while also exceeding the size of the defense budget,” according to Fox Business.
“The American economy has shown real strength, but we cannot ignore what may be the greatest long-term threat hanging over it: our national debt,” said “Financial Issues” (FISM) host Mark Minnella. “We are now above $40 trillion in debt, running massive annual deficits, and spending more than $1 trillion a year just on interest.
“The dollar is still the world’s dominant reserve currency, and the world is still buying our debt, so this is not a crisis today. But there is a point where the world can begin to lose confidence in our willingness or ability to get our financial house in order. If that happens, interest rates could rise, inflation could become much harder to control, economic growth could suffer, and recession would become a very real concern. In an extreme case, if Washington tried to solve the problem simply by printing more money, the damage to the dollar and purchasing power could be devastating. The good news is we are not there, and we do have time to fix this, but the strength of the American economy should never become an excuse for continuing to spend money we do not have.”
Financial Issues (FISM) unique programming helps Christians find freedom and purpose in financial stewardship, empowering them to make biblically faithful choices in a world filled with competing voices. By tuning in, viewers and listeners will discover how to navigate their financial journey with clarity, integrity and a Kingdom-minded perspective.
Mark Minnella is the host of “Financial Issues,” which is broadcast live Monday through Friday at 9 – 10 a.m. ET/8 – 9 a.m. CT, on more than 500 television and radio outlets nationwide, streaming on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and other major platforms, as well as online at FinancialIssues.org.
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To schedule interviews with Mark Minnella, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
