Discovering Unforeseen Initiative: America's Monumental $36 Trillion Crowdsourced Endeavor to Eliminate National Debt
A Twitter user recently shared a screenshot of a campaign hosted on pay.gov, encouraging Americans to donate towards paying off the national debt. The viral conversation that ensued has attracted attention due to its unconventional approach to addressing the national debt.
The campaign, which accepts donations via PayPal, Venmo, credit/debit cards, bank accounts, and even checks by post, has been gaining traction since its inception. The tweet about the national debt campaign received approximately 7 million views and was met with responses from baffled netizens.
One user humorously compared the national debt campaign to universities asking for donations after charging exorbitant tuition fees. Another admitted to sending $10 to the national debt campaign as a joke. However, some netizens questioned the ethics of asking citizens to pay off a debt they did not create.
"Why would anyone donate to the national debt? It's not their debt, and they won't be paying it in their lifetime," one netizen expressed their confusion. Another questioned whether the people have to pay back the debt that they were put in unwillingly.
Despite the controversy, the U.S. Treasury Department's program, accessible through the Pay.gov website, accepts donations made by these methods. Venmo and PayPal were added as payment options in early 2025, making it easier for Americans to contribute digitally using these popular platforms. Donations by traditional means such as bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and cheques have been accepted for decades through Pay.gov.
While people can donate, the total amount raised in donations is quite small relative to the $36 trillion national debt — about $67.3 million total since 1996 and around $2.7 million in 2024 alone. Donations made to reduce the public debt may be eligible for tax deductions in certain cases according to IRS rules.
In conclusion, through Pay.gov you can donate via Venmo, PayPal, credit/debit cards, bank transfer, or cheque to help pay down the U.S. national debt. However, the impact of these donations is minimal compared to the overall size of the debt. Nonetheless, the campaign offers a unique opportunity for individuals to contribute towards reducing the national debt, sparking a conversation about financial responsibility and civic engagement.
[1] Pay.gov - Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt: https://www.pay.gov/publicdebt [2] TreasuryDirect - Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt: https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/gift/gift.htm [3] IRS - Tax Information for Charities and Other Non-Profits: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits [4] CNBC - Americans can donate to the U.S. national debt. Here's how: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/12/americans-can-donate-to-the-u-s-national-debt-heres-how.html
- In contrast to the colossal $36 trillion national debt, only around $67.3 million has been collected through donations on Pay.gov since 1996, demonstrating the minimal impact of individual contributions towards paying off the debt.
- During the conversation about the national debt, someone mused about the potential for personal investment in the country's financial stability, suggesting that one could view donating to pay down the national debt as a form of personal-finance investment in the nation's business.
