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Nikki Haley says affordability must be top U.S. priority in 2026
The former Indian American presidential candidate’s comment highlights the national debt crossing $38 trillion, which exceeds GDP.
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Anushka Pathak - Fri, 26, Dec 2025
- 12:03 EST
- 14
Nikki Haley / Courtesy: Instagram/@NikkiHaley
Former U.N. Ambassador and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said affordability should be the United States’ top priority heading into the new year.
“As we enter 2026, affordability should be our top priority,” she wrote, highlighting that rising financial pressures on households are closely linked to the country’s expanding national debt.
According to her, the scale of federal borrowing is undermining economic security, and she warned that interest costs are compounding the problem.
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As we enter 2026, affordability should be our top priority.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) December 22, 2025
We need to be honest about what’s putting the American dream out of reach: our national debt. At over $38 trillion, it’s now larger than the entire U.S. economy, and interest alone costs about $10 BILLION every week.…
“We need to be honest about what’s putting the American dream out of reach: our national debt. At over $38 trillion, it’s now larger than the entire U.S. economy, and interest alone costs about $10 BILLION every week. Until we get serious about cutting spending, this burden will only grow heavier for our kids.”
U.S. Treasury data show gross national debt exceeded US$38 trillion in late 2025, reaching about US$38.40 trillion in early Dec. 2025, according to Treasury Fiscal Data and the Joint Economic Committee. The International Monetary Fund estimates nominal U.S. GDP in 2025 at around US$30.6 trillion, placing total debt well above annual economic output.
Net interest payments have risen sharply, nearing or exceeding US$1 trillion annually in fiscal 2025 measures, averaging about US$19-20 billion per week, higher than the figure cited by Haley.
Long-term projections from the Congressional Budget Office show publicly held debt rising to 118 percent of GDP by 2035 under current policies, with interest costs among the fastest-growing budget items. The debt increase has been driven by pandemic-related spending, tax cuts, military outlays, and entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
Haley has consistently called for fiscal restraint, criticizing spending by administrations of both parties and citing stimulus measures, tax changes, and earmarks as contributors to debt growth.
Her remarks come amid growing concerns over the economy and affordability as lawmakers debated budget priorities and debt policy earlier this year, with these issues expected to weigh heavily on voter sentiment ahead of 2026’s midterm elections.
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