Do foreign entities (like those in China and Saudi Arabia) own more of the U.S. national debt than federal trust funds (like those of Social Security and Medicare)?
Correct Answer
Foreign entities own about 34% of the total U.S. national debt, while federal trust funds own about 28% of it. Per the White House Office of Management and Budget: "During most of American history, the Federal debt was held almost entirely by individuals and institutions within the United States. In the late 1960s, foreign holdings were just over $10 billion, less than 5 percent of the total Federal debt held by the public. Foreign holdings began to grow significantly starting in 1970 and now represent almost half of outstanding [publicly held] debt."
DocumentationNational Debt OwnershipFederal Debt Accounting