https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/u-s-budget-deficit-swells-to-almost-2-trillion-for-fiscal-2026-up-12-in-a-single-yearContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/u-s-budget-deficit-swells-to-almost-2-trillion-for-fiscal-2026-up-12-in-a-single-yearhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/u-s-budget-deficit-swells-to-almost-2-trillion-for-fiscal-2026-up-12-in-a-single-year#u139236Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:10:45 +0000The United States federal budget deficit reached $1.992 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year, marking a 12% increase of about $217 billion from fiscal 2025. The Treasury Department published the figures, showing the largest annual budget gap in five years. Federal collections reached $5.4 trillion, but spending growth outpaced revenue growth, driven by factors including tariff refunds and record outlays to service the national debt. US interest costs hit a record $1 trillion, raising concerns about a potential debt snowball.Why it mattersThe swelling deficit arrives as a reality check for cost-cu