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Gone quiet · last update Jun 7, 2023 / Joe Biden

The 2023 debt ceiling standoff between Biden and McCarthy

Overview · reviewed October 31, 2026

In January 2023 the United States hit its legal borrowing limit, forcing the Treasury to take "extraordinary measures" to keep paying the government's bills.[1] House Republicans, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, demanded spending cuts in exchange for raising the limit, and after months of standoff McCarthy and President Joe Biden reached a deal in late May.[2][3] The Senate gave final approval days before the deadline Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had set, averting a first-ever default.[4][5]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

House Republicans, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, demanded spending cuts in exchange for raising the limit, and after months of standoff McCarthy and President Joe Biden reached a deal in late May.[2][3] The Senate gave final approval days before the deadline Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had set, averting a first-ever default.[4][5]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · weekly (UTC)

Week of 2023-01-09 (UTC): 20%, 40 of 198 tracked outlets (15 left, 17 center, 8 right)Week of 2023-01-16 (UTC): 30%, 57 of 188 tracked outlets (18 left, 29 center, 10 right)Week of 2023-01-23 (UTC): 17%, 32 of 193 tracked outlets (14 left, 8 center, 10 right)Week of 2023-01-30 (UTC): 23%, 44 of 190 tracked outlets (12 left, 21 center, 11 right)Week of 2023-02-06 (UTC): 2%, 4 of 185 tracked outlets (0 left, 0 center, 4 right)Week of 2023-02-13 (UTC): 9%, 16 of 181 tracked outlets (4 left, 9 center, 3 right)Week of 2023-02-20 (UTC): 7%, 13 of 184 tracked outlets (3 left, 8 center, 2 right)Week of 2023-02-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-03-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-03-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-03-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-03-27 (UTC): 12%, 34 of 278 tracked outlets (9 left, 14 center, 11 right)Week of 2023-04-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-04-10 (UTC): 1%, 2 of 254 tracked outlets (1 left, 0 center, 1 right)Week of 2023-04-17 (UTC): 28%, 71 of 254 tracked outlets (25 left, 28 center, 18 right)Week of 2023-04-24 (UTC): 28%, 71 of 255 tracked outlets (28 left, 26 center, 17 right)Week of 2023-05-01 (UTC): 23%, 60 of 256 tracked outlets (20 left, 25 center, 15 right)Week of 2023-05-08 (UTC): 30%, 76 of 254 tracked outlets (25 left, 34 center, 17 right)Week of 2023-05-15 (UTC): 41%, 99 of 244 tracked outlets (34 left, 44 center, 21 right)Week of 2023-05-22 (UTC): 50%, 135 of 269 tracked outlets (45 left, 58 center, 32 right)Week of 2023-05-29 (UTC): 56%, 145 of 258 tracked outlets (49 left, 60 center, 36 right)Week of 2023-06-05 (UTC): 11%, 28 of 265 tracked outlets (14 left, 9 center, 5 right)Week of 2023-06-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-06-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-06-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-07-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-07-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-07-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-07-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-07-31 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-08-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-08-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-08-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-08-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-09-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-09-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-09-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-09-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-10-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-10-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-10-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-10-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-10-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-11-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-11-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-11-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-11-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-12-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-12-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-12-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2023-12-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-01-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-01-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-01-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-01-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-01-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-02-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-02-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-02-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-02-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-03-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-03-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-03-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-03-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-04-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-04-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-04-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-04-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-04-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-05-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-05-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-05-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-05-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-06-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-06-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-06-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-06-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-07-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-07-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-07-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-07-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-07-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-08-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-08-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-08-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-08-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-09-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-09-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-09-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-09-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-09-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-10-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-10-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-10-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-10-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-11-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-11-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-11-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-11-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-12-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-12-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-12-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-12-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2024-12-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-01-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-01-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-01-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-01-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-02-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-02-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-02-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-02-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-31 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-04-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-04-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-04-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-04-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-05-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-05-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-05-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-05-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-07-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-07-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-07-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-07-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-08-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-08-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-08-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-08-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-31 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-11-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-11-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outlets, so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 9 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (17 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Jun 5, 2023149528 of 26511%
May 29, 2023496036145 of 25856%
May 22, 2023455832135 of 26950%
May 15, 202334442199 of 24441%
May 8, 202325341776 of 25430%
May 1, 202320251560 of 25623%
Apr 24, 202328261771 of 25528%
Apr 17, 202325281871 of 25428%
Apr 10, 20231012 of 2541%
Mar 27, 20239141134 of 27812%
Feb 20, 202338213 of 1847%
Feb 13, 202349316 of 1819%
Feb 6, 20230044 of 1852%
Jan 30, 202312211144 of 19023%
Jan 23, 20231481032 of 19317%
Jan 16, 202318291057 of 18830%
Jan 9, 20231517840 of 19820%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Jun 6, 2023 · first reported · Headline from WWLP Springfield

    House conservatives block GOP bills, voice frustration in response to last week’s debt ceiling vote

Background

McCarthy accused Biden of refusing to negotiate over the limit.[6] In April House Republicans narrowly passed a bill raising the ceiling by $1.5 trillion in exchange for spending cuts,[2][7] and Yellen warned that the government might run out of ways to pay its bills by June 1.[8] Biden and congressional leaders met at the White House in May,[9] and talks broke off and resumed as the deadline neared.[10][11] The administration ruled out invoking the 14th Amendment to get around the limit.[12]

The final agreement also restarted student loan payments,[13] and hard-right conservatives angry about it shut down the House floor in protest, setting up McCarthy's next budget fight.[14] That fight ended with his removal, followed in the arc on the 2023 House speaker fights.

Supporting stories (14)
  1. US reaches debt limit; Treasury now taking 'extraordinary measures'
  2. US House passes Republican debt ceiling bill, push Biden on spending
  3. Biden and GOP Reach Debt-Ceiling Deal. Now Congress Must Approve It to Prevent Calamitous Default
  4. Biden signs debt ceiling bill that pulls U.S. back from brink of unprecedented default
  5. Yellen sets new deadline for Congress to raise the debt ceiling: June 5
  6. Debt ceiling impasse: Kevin McCarthy presses Biden to negotiate
  7. McCarthy defies expectations as debt bill passes. Now, the hard part.
  8. Yellen says U.S. could hit debt ceiling as soon as June 1
  9. Biden goes after Republicans on debt limit in campaign-style speech
  10. Debt limit talks stall as Republicans, White House face 'real differences'
  11. Biden, McCarthy agree to talk on debt crisis, speaker says negotiators 'closer to an agreement'
  12. Deputy Treasury secretary rules out possibility of using 14th Amendment to raise debt ceiling
  13. Debt ceiling deal would reinstate student loan payments: Here's the earliest payment is expected
  14. GOP conservatives shutter House to protest McCarthy-Biden debt deal, setting up next budget brawl

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 81 recorded updates

June 2023

  1. House conservatives block GOP bills, voice frustration in response to last week’s debt ceiling voteHeadline from WWLP Springfield · 6 outlets
  2. GOP conservatives shutter House to protest McCarthy-Biden debt deal, setting up next budget brawlHeadline from FOX 21 Colorado Springs · 24 outlets

May 2023

  1. Biden signs debt ceiling bill that pulls U.S. back from brink of unprecedented defaultHeadline from CBS News · 111 outlets
  2. Lauren Boebert refuses to explain her absence from debt ceiling voteHeadline from Newsweek · 5 outlets
  3. House to vote on debt limit deal as lawmakers race to avert defaultHeadline from Local News 8 · 5 outlets
  4. Debt ceiling deal would reinstate student loan payments: Here's the earliest payment is expectedHeadline from Thv11 · 22 outlets
  5. DeSantis, wading into debt ceiling fight, puts pressure on TrumpHeadline from The Boston Globe · 8 outlets
  6. Manchin could get a gas pipeline out of the debt ceiling deal, and environmental advocates are lividHeadline from CNN · 10 outlets
  7. Debt ceiling tests McCarthy, as GOP speaker rides breezily through fight of his careerHeadline from KOB 4 · 9 outlets
  8. CBO says debt ceiling deal would cut deficits by $1.5 trillion over the next decadeHeadline from NPR · 8 outlets
  9. Biden, McCarthy reach final deal to prevent default, now must sell to CongressHeadline from Quad-City Times · 47 outlets
  10. House Republicans, White House reach deal in principle to raise debt limit, sources tell ABC NewsHeadline from ABC 30 Fresno · 4 outlets
  11. How Biden and House Speaker McCarthy 'shrunk the room' to get to a debt ceiling dealHeadline from Fortune · 128 outlets
  12. Biden says debt deal 'very close' with default deadline now set at June 5Headline from WCNC · 19 outlets
  13. Fitch puts America’s AAA credit rating on negative watch amid debt ceiling battleHeadline from New York Post · 7 outlets
  14. Debt ceiling talks teeter, lawmakers leave town without a dealHeadline from The Garden Island · 21 outlets
  15. Why it's difficult to pinpoint the 'X-date' when US would defaultHeadline from WTHR Indianapolis · 12 outlets
  16. Anxious retirees, social service groups making default contingency plansHeadline from WWL New Orleans · 8 outlets
  17. Biden and GOP Reach Debt-Ceiling Deal. Now Congress Must Approve It to Prevent Calamitous DefaultHeadline from NBC10 Philadelphia · 95 outlets
  18. Biden, McCarthy agree to talk on debt crisis, speaker says negotiators 'closer to an agreement'Headline from Minneapolis Star Tribune · 79 outlets
  19. Debt ceiling deal: What's in and what's out of the agreement to avert US defaultHeadline from ABC 10 Sacramento · 29 outlets
  20. Debt default could cut millions of jobs. Here's who would lose employment firstHeadline from 6ABC Philadelphia · 3 outlets
  21. Yellen sets new deadline for Congress to raise the debt ceiling: June 5Headline from NPR · 43 outlets
  22. Deputy Treasury secretary rules out possibility of using 14th Amendment to raise debt ceilingHeadline from KTVZ Bend · 25 outlets
  23. Debt limit talks stall as Republicans, White House face 'real differences'Headline from Fox10 Phoenix · 44 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →