Exclusive | 90 state officers urge Trump, Congress to sort out national debt disaster, warning ‘painful age of reckoning’ looms

Ninety state officers urged President Trump and Congress to sort out the national debt disaster in a Thursday letter – warning of “a painful age of reckoning” if nothing is finished, The Post has realized.

State treasurers and lawmakers from states including Arizona, Pennsylvania and Texas, in addition to Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, famous in the missive that national debt already tops $38 trillion. 

Ninety state officers urged President Trump and lawmakers to sort out the national debt disaster in a letter Thursday. Nathan Howard – Pool by way of CNP/Shutterstock

The letter demanded that Trump and members of Congress approve a plan by July 4, 2026 – the nation’s 250th anniversary – to put the federal authorities on monitor to succeed in a balanced funds.

“Without a decisive change in course, we will not only face a very painful day of reckoning, but a painful age of reckoning we never want to see,” the officers, largely from purple states, wrote in a copy of the letter obtained by The Post.

“Younger citizens of our states need a solid runway to prepare for changes, while our oldest and most vulnerable citizens need assurances.”

The letter famous that the national debt already exceeds $37 billion. AFP by way of Getty Images

The White House didn’t instantly reply to The Post’s request for remark.

In the letter, the signatories also urged Trump to “[cut] red tape and [tap] into our nation’s vast natural resources.”

They said he ought to roll back “the costly and burdensome requirements that accompany federal funds sent to states.”

While the officers counseled the work of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, a cost-cutting company that slashed 1000’s of federal roles, they called on Trump to take more aggressive action.

“The federal government caused this crisis, and then ignored the crisis as it got worse, so now the states are sounding the alarm and demanding a new direction,” OJ Oleka, chief govt of the State Financial Officers Foundation, told The Post in a assertion.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, together with a quantity of other state officers, signed the letter. REUTERS

“Fortunately, we currently have a president for whom taking bold action to solve big problems is second nature.”

The letter warned that US debt may result in the collapse of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Social Security trust funds may turn out to be bancrupt by 2033, leading to a more than 20% discount or $16,500 lower in advantages on average per couple, the letter said, citing the Congressional Budget Office.

The letter demanded Trump and members of Congress approve a plan by July 4, 2026 to put the federal authorities on monitor to succeed in a balanced funds. Getty Images

The letter got here as Trump has been floating the idea of $2,000 tariff “dividend” checks for most Americans, even as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has tried to throw cold water on the thought.

The president has said the checks might be funded by income from levies on many imports. But the payout comes with an estimated $600 billion price tag – twice the income anticipated from tariffs, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

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