Trump Administration Is Accepting Venmo Payments to Help Pay Down the National Debt

With the national debt nearing $37 trillion and President Donald Trump’s sweeping new budget poised to drive it even higher, the U.S. Treasury is now letting Americans chip in—via Venmo.

On July 23, a viral post by NPR journalist Jack Corbett highlighted that the Treasury Department’s official payment portal, Pay.gov, has quietly introduced options to contribute to the national debt using Venmo and PayPal, in addition to the traditional credit, debit, or bank transfer methods.

According to Pay.gov, the “Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt” program has existed for decades, allowing Americans to make voluntary donations toward lowering the debt. But now, in an era of mobile payments and social apps, the Treasury has modernized the process. Donations through Venmo and PayPal are now accepted alongside other digital transactions.

So far, the program hasn’t attracted major contributions—just over $67 million in total donations since 1996, according to The New Republic. But the new payment options come at a time when the national debt sits at roughly $36.7 trillion—or more than $107,000 per American, according to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

That figure is expected to grow rapidly, largely due to Trump’s newly passed budget package, branded the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” The bill, celebrated by Trump as a win for the economy, includes vast increases in military funding and immigration enforcement, including resources for mass deportations. It also slashes funding for Medicaid, SNAP benefits, and clean energy programs.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will add $3.4 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years, despite $1.1 trillion in spending cuts—thanks in large part to Trump’s extension of tax cuts, which are expected to reduce federal revenue by $4.5 trillion.

Despite the CBO’s projections, the White House released a statement on June 30 defending the bill, calling it fiscally responsible.

“President Trump’s plan doesn’t just grow the economy, it actually reduces the debt burden on future generations — something the D.C. establishment hasn’t done in decades,” the statement read. “While Joe Biden supersized the national debt, President Trump is supersizing hardworking Americans’ paychecks and restoring fiscal sanity, helping solve our debt crisis for the long run.”

Still, critics from across the political spectrum have voiced concern. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene admitted she didn’t fully read the bill before voting for it and later expressed regret. Former Trump official Elon Musk, who recently exited the administration, called the budget a “disgusting abomination.”

As the debt climbs, it remains to be seen whether average Americans will step up—one Venmo donation at a time.