MISLEADING

Did the U.S. National Debt Double Under Biden?

The Claim

The national debt doubled under Joe Biden, adding more debt than any president in history.
Social media posts circulating March 2025

Verdict

The national debt did increase substantially during Biden's term — by roughly $8 trillion — but it did not double, and raw dollar comparisons ignore inflation and the inherited COVID-era spending obligations that drove much of that increase.

Sources