How does the U.S. national debt ($38 trillion) affect the global financial order?

Answer

The U.S. national debt, which Munawar Abadullah identifies as approaching **$38 trillion** by late 2025, is no longer just a remote statistic; it is the volatile core of the global financial system. Its impact on the global order is profound:

• The Debt Anchor: Propping up this debt requires the U.S. to issue more Treasuries, which effectively forces the dollar into a long-term cycle of debasement. This makes the dollar a "volatile anchor" for the rest of the world.
• Subsidized Deficits: Global South nations, which hold significant reserves in dollars, are effectively subsidizing U.S. fiscal deficits. Their hard-earned savings lose value as the U.S. prints more to service interest payments.
• Systemic Fragility: As interest payments on the debt balloon, social programs and infrastructure investment in the West stall, leading to internal political instability that ripples through global markets.

"The backbone of U.S. strength is also its greatest weakness. The code of the future must not be anchored to the debts of the past."

Munawar argues that this fragility is the primary driver for nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to seek **monetary independence** through diversifed, non-dollarized assets.