History of the United States public debt

This table lists the change in the United States public debt divided by Gross Domestic Product listed by Presidential term. It is currently the highest since 1955. For net jobs changes see Jobs created during U.S. presidential terms. In interpreting this table, it should be born in mind that according to the United States Constitution, the the United States Congress is responsible for government spending and thus, regardless of Presidential advocacy, bears constitutional responsibility for deficit-spending.

U.S. president	Party	Term years	Start debt/GDP*	End debt/GDP*	Increase debt ($T)	Increase debt/GDP
Roosevelt/Truman	D	1945-1949	117.5%	93.2%	0.05	-24.3%
Truman Harry Truman	D	1949-1953	93.2%	71.3%	0.01	-21.9%
Eisenhower1 Dwight Eisenhower	R	1953-1957	71.3%	60.5%	0.01	-10.8%
Eisenhower2 Dwight Eisenhower	R	1957-1961	60.5%	55.1%	0.02	-5.4%
Kennedy/Johnson	D	1961-1965	55.1%	46.9%	0.03	-8.2%
Johnson Lyndon Johnson	D	1965-1969	46.9%	38.6%	0.05	-8.3%
Nixon1 Richard Nixon	R	1969-1973	38.6%	35.7%	0.07	-2.9%
Nixon2 Nixon/Ford	R	1973-1977	35.7%	35.8%	0.19	+0.1%
Carter Jimmy Carter	D	1977-1981	35.8%	32.6%	0.18	-3.2%
Reagan1 Ronald Reagan	R	1981-1985	32.6%	43.9%	0.65	+11.3%
Reagan2 Ronald Reagan	R	1985-1989	43.9%	53.1%	1.04	+9.2%
Bush GHW George H. W. Bush	R	1989-1993	53.1%	66.2%	1.40	+13.1%
Clinton1 Bill Clinton	D	1993-1997	66.2%	65.6%	1.12	-0.6%
Clinton2 Bill Clinton	D	1997-2001	65.6%	57.4%	0.42	-8.2%
Bush GW1 George W. Bush	R	2001-2005	57.4%	65.7%	1.88	+8.3%
Bush GW2 George W. Bush	R	2005-2009 projection	65.7%	69.8% projection		+4.3% projection

Federal spending, federal debt, and GDP

Annual U.S. spending budget 1901-2006

The below table shows the annual federal spending, gross federal debt, and gross domestic product for average presidential parties, specific presidential terms, and specific fiscal years.

Fiscal Year	Budget of President	Party of President	Federal Spending			Federal Debt			Gross Domestic Product			Inflation Adjustor
			Billions	Adjusted	Increase	Billions	Adjusted	Increase	Billions	Adjusted	Increase
1978-2005		Democratic			9.9%			4.2%			12.6%
1978-2005		Republican			12.3%			36.6%			10.9%
1978-1981	Carter	Democratic	$678	$1,219	17.2%	$994	$1,787	-0.4%	$3,055	$5,492	9.4%
1982-1985	Reagan	Republican	$946	$1,396	14.5%	$1,817	$2,680	49.9%	$4,142	$6,108	11.2%
1986-1989	Reagan	Republican	$1,144	$1,499	7.4%	$2,867	$3,757	40.2%	$5,401	$7,077	15.9%
1990-1993	Bush	Republican	$1,410	$1,615	7.8%	$4,351	$4,987	32.7%	$6,576	$7,536	6.5%
1994-1997	Clinton	Democratic	$1,601	$1,684	4.3%	$5,369	$5,647	13.2%	$8,182	$8,606	14.2%
1998-2001	Clinton	Democratic	$1,863	$1,821	8.1%	$5,769	$5,638	-0.2%	$10,058	$9,829	14.2%
2002-2005	Bush	Republican	$2,472	$2,179	19.7%	$7,905	$6,967	23.6%	$12,290	$10,832	10.2%
1977	Ford	Republican	$409	$1,040		$706	$1,795		$1,974	$5,019		0.39
1978	Carter	Democratic	$459	$1,093	5.1%	$776	$1,850	3.1%	$2,217	$5,285	5.3%	0.42
1979	Carter	Democratic	$504	$1,107	1.3%	$829	$1,821	-1.5%	$2,501	$5,494	4.0%	0.46
1980	Carter	Democratic	$591	$1,175	6.1%	$909	$1,808	-0.8%	$2,727	$5,422	-1.3%	0.50
1981	Carter	Democratic	$678	$1,219	3.8%	$994	$1,787	-1.1%	$3,055	$5,492	1.3%	0.56
1982	Reagan	Republican	$746	$1,252	2.6%	$1,137	$1,908	6.8%	$3,228	$5,417	-1.4%	0.60
1983	Reagan	Republican	$808	$1,294	3.4%	$1,371	$2,195	15.0%	$3,441	$5,510	1.7%	0.62
1984	Reagan	Republican	$852	$1,300	0.4%	$1,564	$2,386	8.7%	$3,840	$5,858	6.3%	0.66
1985	Reagan	Republican	$946	$1,396	7.4%	$1,817	$2,680	12.3%	$4,142	$6,108	4.3%	0.68
1986	Reagan	Republican	$990	$1,426	2.1%	$2,120	$3,052	13.9%	$4,412	$6,352	4.0%	0.69
1987	Reagan	Republican	$1,004	$1,406	-1.4%	$2,345	$3,283	7.6%	$4,647	$6,506	2.4%	0.71
1988	Reagan	Republican	$1,065	$1,447	2.9%	$2,601	$3,534	7.7%	$5,009	$6,806	4.6%	0.74
1989	Reagan	Republican	$1,144	$1,499	3.6%	$2,867	$3,757	6.3%	$5,401	$7,077	4.0%	0.76
1990	Bush	Republican	$1,253	$1,590	6.1%	$3,206	$4,067	8.3%	$5,735	$7,277	2.8%	0.79
1991	Bush	Republican	$1,324	$1,610	1.3%	$3,598	$4,374	7.5%	$5,935	$7,215	-0.8%	0.82
1992	Bush	Republican	$1,382	$1,624	0.9%	$4,001	$4,703	7.5%	$6,240	$7,334	1.7%	0.85
1993	Bush	Republican	$1,410	$1,615	-0.5%	$4,351	$4,987	6.0%	$6,576	$7,536	2.8%	0.87
1994	Clinton	Democratic	$1,462	$1,642	1.7%	$4,643	$5,216	4.6%	$6,961	$7,820	3.8%	0.89
1995	Clinton	Democratic	$1,516	$1,662	1.2%	$4,920	$5,395	3.4%	$7,326	$8,033	2.7%	0.91
1996	Clinton	Democratic	$1,561	$1,673	0.7%	$5,181	$5,554	3.0%	$7,694	$8,248	2.7%	0.93
1997	Clinton	Democratic	$1,601	$1,684	0.7%	$5,369	$5,647	1.7%	$8,182	$8,606	4.3%	0.95
1998	Clinton	Democratic	$1,653	$1,721	2.2%	$5,478	$5,704	1.0%	$8,628	$8,985	4.4%	0.96
1999	Clinton	Democratic	$1,702	$1,746	1.5%	$5,605	$5,750	0.8%	$9,125	$9,361	4.2%	0.97
2000	Clinton	Democratic	$1,789	$1,789	2.5%	$5,628	$5,628	-2.1%	$9,710	$9,710	3.7%	1.00
2001	Clinton	Democratic	$1,863	$1,821	1.8%	$5,769	$5,638	0.2%	$10,058	$9,829	1.2%	1.02
2002	Bush	Republican	$2,011	$1,929	6.0%	$6,198	$5,945	5.5%	$10,377	$9,954	1.3%	1.04
2003	Bush	Republican	$2,160	$2,020	4.7%	$6,760	$6,322	6.3%	$10,806	$10,105	1.5%	1.07
2004	Bush	Republican	$2,293	$2,088	3.4%	$7,354	$6,698	5.9%	$11,546	$10,515	4.1%	1.10
2005	Bush	Republican	$2,472	$2,179	4.3%	$7,905	$6,967	4.0%	$12,290	$10,832	3.0%	1.13
2006	Bush	Republican	$2,709	$2,312	6.1%	$8,611	$7,351	5.5%	$13,030	$11,124	2.7%	1.17

Formula notes

• The dollar amounts for each presidential term are taken from the last fiscal year in that term.
• The increase in each presidential term is the increase in the adjusted amount from the last fiscal year of the previous term to the last fiscal year of the current term.
• The values for the average presidential parties are the average of all the presidents in each party.

External links

• Debt/External Debt as a % of GDP Comparing the Republican versus Democratic Presidential management of Debt ( from the Reagan administration ) and External Debt as a % of GDP ( from 1995 )
• ZFacts Debt/GDP graph