The 2023 debt ceiling standoff between Biden and McCarthy

Gone quiet · last story Jun 7, 2023

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]

What this arc covers

The 2023 fight over raising the US debt limit, from the Treasury hitting the ceiling in January and House Republicans' bill tying an increase to spending cuts, through the Biden-McCarthy negotiations and warnings of a first-ever default, to the deal Biden signed in early June and its aftermath in the House.

Earliest story we hold Jan 13, 2023 · 81 stories · 176 sources (counted once each) · 145 days

Part ofJoe BidenKevin McCarthyJanet YellenMitch McConnellUnited States House of RepresentativesUnited States Department of the TreasuryJoe ManchinG7
Photo from Honolulu Star-Advertiser, with How Biden and House Speaker McCarthy 'shrunk the room' to get to a debt ceiling deal (May 28, 2023), the story with the most sources this week.

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

Overview updated Oct 31, 2026

Part of Kevin McCarthy's speakership

  1. The 2023 House speaker fights, from McCarthy's 15 ballots to Mike JohnsonNov 9, 2022 – Oct 25, 2023
  2. The 2023 debt ceiling standoff between Biden and McCarthyThis arcJan 13 – Jun 7, 2023

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Jun 72023House conservatives block GOP bills, voice frustration in response to last week’s debt ceiling vote7 articles · 6 sources
3 left, 2 center, 1 right
Jun 6– 82023GOP conservatives shutter House to protest McCarthy-Biden debt deal, setting up next budget brawl26 articles · 25 sources
13 left, 8 center, 4 right
Jun 1– 22023Lauren Boebert refuses to explain her absence from debt ceiling vote7 articles · 5 sources
3 left, 2 center, 0 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Jan 29 – Feb 2, 2023Biden, McCarthy meet face-to-face on debt crisis worries99 articles · 46 sources
    1. Jan 29, 2023Biden and McCarthy Set to Meet Wednesday to Discuss the Debt Ceiling
    2. Feb 1, 2023Biden, McCarthy to meet, discuss debt ceiling at White House
  2. May 16 – 18, 2023Biden, McCarthy aim for deal on US debt ceiling by Sunday107 articles · 43 sources
    1. May 16, 2023McCarthy says debt ceiling deal possible by end of week as Biden cuts short upcoming foreign trip
    2. May 17, 2023Debt limit progress as Biden, McCarthy name top negotiators
    3. May 18, 2023McCarthy Says House Could Vote on Debt Ceiling Deal as Soon as Next Week
  3. May 22 – 27, 2023Biden, McCarthy agree to talk on debt crisis, speaker says negotiators 'closer to an agreement'225 articles · 81 sources
    1. May 22, 2023No agreement yet on debt ceiling, but Biden, McCarthy say they’re optimistic after meeting
    2. May 23, 2023McCarthy sending negotiators to White House to finish debt limit talks, but sides ‘far apart’
    3. May 25, 2023US debt crisis: Biden vows 'no default'
    4. May 27, 2023McCarthy says negotiators are 'closer to an agreement' on debt crisis, but no deal yet
  4. May 23 – 30, 2023Biden and GOP Reach Debt-Ceiling Deal. Now Congress Must Approve It to Prevent Calamitous Default365 articles · 97 sources
    1. May 23, 2023Debt ceiling: No agreement yet, but Biden, McCarthy say they're optimistic after meeting
    2. May 25, 2023Debt limit deal between McCarthy, Biden could be struck this week: source
    3. May 26, 2023Deadline looming, Biden and McCarthy narrow in on budget deal to lift debt ceiling
    4. May 30, 2023Only right-leaning coverage:House Freedom Caucus Chairman Slams Debt Ceiling Deal
  5. May 28 – Jun 2, 2023How Biden and House Speaker McCarthy 'shrunk the room' to get to a debt ceiling deal629 articles · 130 sources
    1. May 29, 2023Debt ceiling takeaways: Biden's invite to liberal skeptics to 'talk to me,' McCarthy's balancing act
    2. May 31, 2023Ahead of House debt ceiling vote, Biden shores up Democrats and McCarthy scrambles for GOP support
    3. Jun 1, 2023After sailing through House on bipartisan vote, Biden-McCarthy debt ceiling deal now goes to Senate
    4. Jun 2, 2023Here's how Biden and McCarthy struck a debt limit deal and staved off a catastrophe
  6. May 28 – 29, 2023Biden, McCarthy reach final deal to prevent default, now must sell to Congress119 articles · 49 sources
  7. Jun 1 – 4, 2023Biden signs debt ceiling bill that pulls U.S. back from brink of unprecedented default309 articles · 113 sources
    1. Jun 1, 2023The Debt Ceiling Deal Is an Epic Victory for President Biden
    2. Jun 2, 2023Just days to spare, Senate gives final approval to debt ceiling deal, sending it to Biden

Who covered it, over timeshare of the sources publishing each week, by side

Jan 9, 2023 - Jun 11, 2023

Share of the sources publishing each week that covered it

0%20%40%60%80%100%
Arrow keys move between weeks.
Jan 9, 2023Jun 5, 2023

LeftCenterRight

Week of Jun 5, 2023 - Jun 11, 2023: 14 left, 9 center, 5 right, 11% of the sources that published that week · 33 articles

Show every week as a table
WeekLeftCenterRightArticlesShare
Jan 9, 2023 - Jan 15, 2023151788820%
Jan 16, 2023 - Jan 22, 202318291018130%
Jan 23, 2023 - Jan 29, 2023148105917%
Jan 30, 2023 - Feb 5, 202312211110023%
Feb 6, 2023 - Feb 12, 202300442%
Feb 13, 2023 - Feb 19, 2023493179%
Feb 20, 2023 - Feb 26, 2023382247%
Feb 27, 2023 - Mar 5, 202300000%
Mar 6, 2023 - Mar 12, 202300000%
Mar 13, 2023 - Mar 19, 202300000%
Mar 20, 2023 - Mar 26, 202300000%
Mar 27, 2023 - Apr 2, 2023914114412%
Apr 3, 2023 - Apr 9, 202300000%
Apr 10, 2023 - Apr 16, 20231012under 1%
Apr 17, 2023 - Apr 23, 202325281815628%
Apr 24, 2023 - Apr 30, 202328261717328%
May 1, 2023 - May 7, 202320251512023%
May 8, 2023 - May 14, 202325341723030%
May 15, 2023 - May 21, 202334442145840%
May 22, 2023 - May 28, 2023455832101550%
May 29, 2023 - Jun 4, 2023496036107856%
Jun 5, 2023 - Jun 11, 202314953311%

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

33% left · 43% center · 24% right of 176 sources on the spectrum, across 81 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. January 2023

    1. Jan 13– 19The US is expected to reach its debt limit tomorrow. What happens then?49 articles · 16 sources
      5 left, 10 center, 1 right
    2. Jan 13– 14Yellen tells Congress US expected to hit debt limit Thursday84 articles · 39 sources
      14 left, 15 center, 8 right
    3. Jan 17– 19US reaches debt limit; Treasury now taking 'extraordinary measures'78 articles · 32 sources
      9 left, 19 center, 2 right
    4. Jan 17– 24McConnell Says It’s McCarthy’s Job To Reach Debt Ceiling Deal17 articles · 13 sources
      5 left, 4 center, 4 right
    5. Jan 18– 20U.S. hits debt ceiling amid standoff between Republicans and Democrats7 articles · 6 sources
      1 left, 2 center, 2 right
    6. Jan 19US debt limit: Biden-House GOP frictions raise alarms as deadline looms25 articles · 11 sources
      4 left, 6 center, 1 right
    7. Jan 19As US nears debt limit, political frictions raising alarms15 articles · 14 sources
      4 left, 5 center, 5 right
    8. Jan 19– 22Manchin: It’s a mistake to ‘not negotiate’ with Republicans on debt ceiling5 articles · 4 sources
      2 left, 1 center, 1 right
    9. Jan 29– Feb 2Biden, McCarthy meet face-to-face on debt crisis worries99 articles · 46 sources
      11 left, 22 center, 11 right
    10. Jan 29– 30Biden, McCarthy to discuss debt limit in talks on Wednesday57 articles · 27 sources
      11 left, 8 center, 8 right

  2. February 2023

    2. Feb 14Yellen warns of ‘catastrophe’ if debt limit not raised6 articles · 5 sources
      1 left, 2 center, 2 right
    3. Feb 15– 16U.S. Likely to Default on Debt between July and September unless Congress Acts, CBO Says13 articles · 12 sources
      3 left, 7 center, 1 right
    4. Feb 22New estimate U.S. could face default on debt by early June25 articles · 14 sources
      3 left, 8 center, 2 right

  3. March 2023

    1. Mar 28– 30Debt ceiling impasse: Kevin McCarthy presses Biden to negotiate36 articles · 29 sources
      8 left, 11 center, 10 right
    2. Mar 29– 30As debt ceiling talks stall, Speaker McCarthy says GOP may move its own bill8 articles · 7 sources
      3 left, 3 center, 1 right

  4. April 2023

    1. Apr 13– 19House Republicans Unveil Bill to Raise Debt Ceiling, Cut Spending5 articles · 5 sources
      2 left, 1 center, 2 right
    2. Apr 17Speaker McCarthy vows to pass debt bill... with a big 'if'19 articles · 7 sources
      1 left, 5 center, 1 right
    3. Apr 17– 20Speaker McCarthy unveils $1.5T debt bill, pushes toward vote75 articles · 50 sources
      20 left, 19 center, 10 right
    4. Apr 17– 24Speaker McCarthy faces big test as debt bill heads for vote26 articles · 18 sources
      7 left, 7 center, 4 right
    5. Apr 17– 23McCarthy says House will pass GOP debt limit bill this week27 articles · 21 sources
      8 left, 8 center, 5 right
    6. Apr 20– 27McCarthy defies expectations as debt bill passes. Now, the hard part.77 articles · 37 sources
      16 left, 9 center, 11 right
    7. Apr 21– 27House Republicans pass sweeping debt limit bill26 articles · 13 sources
      4 left, 5 center, 4 right
    8. Apr 25– 27US House passes Republican debt ceiling bill, push Biden on spending72 articles · 45 sources
      20 left, 17 center, 6 right
    9. Apr 26GOP leaders reverse course and change debt limit plan in push to pass bill on Wednesday8 articles · 8 sources
      1 left, 5 center, 2 right
    10. Apr 30– May 2Biden invites congressional leaders to White House for debt ceiling talks15 articles · 12 sources
      3 left, 4 center, 5 right

  5. May 2023

    1. May 1– 8Yellen warns of 'catastrophe' if Congress fails to raise debt ceiling32 articles · 25 sources
      8 left, 10 center, 6 right
    2. May 1– 4Here's how US debt default could affect you26 articles · 21 sources
      4 left, 11 center, 3 right
    3. May 1Yellen says U.S. could hit debt ceiling as soon as June 125 articles · 15 sources
      9 left, 6 center, 0 right
    4. May 2– 9Biden, McCarthy to Meet Over Debt Drama as Markets Grow Anxious27 articles · 21 sources
      10 left, 5 center, 6 right
    5. May 2– 9McCarthy rules out short-term deal with Biden on debt ceiling: ‘Just get this done’37 articles · 22 sources
      6 left, 7 center, 9 right
    6. May 4Democrats pressure GOP on debt limit, spending cuts8 articles · 8 sources
      4 left, 2 center, 2 right
    7. May 7– 12Here's how the 14th Amendment factors into the debt ceiling debate26 articles · 22 sources
      6 left, 7 center, 9 right
    8. May 8Lawsuit: Yellen should ignore 'unconstitutional' debt limit11 articles · 11 sources
      4 left, 5 center, 2 right
    9. May 8– 11Biden goes after Republicans on debt limit in campaign-style speech35 articles · 25 sources
      9 left, 10 center, 5 right
    10. May 9Biden: Debt meeting 'productive,' default 'not an option'24 articles · 12 sources
      5 left, 7 center, 0 right
    11. May 9– 15Biden, congressional leaders likely to meet Tuesday for talks on raising the debt limit52 articles · 35 sources
      11 left, 19 center, 4 right
    12. May 9– 12Debt ceiling meeting between congressional leaders and Biden delayed32 articles · 24 sources
      7 left, 10 center, 7 right
    13. May 9– 12'Significant risk' for debt default in early June, CBO reinforces11 articles · 7 sources
      2 left, 4 center, 0 right
    14. May 11Trump Urges GOP to Let Catastrophic Debt Default Happen If Dems Don't Accept Cuts8 articles · 4 sources
      1 left, 3 center, 0 right
    15. May 13In debt ceiling standoff, COVID era of big spending gives way to new focus on deficit18 articles · 16 sources
      7 left, 6 center, 3 right
    17. May 15– 21Biden and McCarthy to meet on Monday as debt talks resume64 articles · 33 sources
      11 left, 13 center, 7 right
    18. May 15– 21McCarthy accuses Biden of pivoting to Dems’ ‘socialist wing’ on debt ceiling talks19 articles · 13 sources
      3 left, 1 center, 9 right
    19. May 16– 18Biden, McCarthy aim for deal on US debt ceiling by Sunday107 articles · 43 sources
      16 left, 21 center, 6 right
    20. May 16– 17Biden cuts upcoming foreign trip short amid debt ceiling showdown12 articles · 10 sources
      2 left, 4 center, 3 right
    21. May 16– 18Democrats Urge Biden To Evade GOP’s Debt Ceiling Demands Using Civil War-Era Amendment10 articles · 10 sources
      2 left, 5 center, 3 right
    22. May 16– 23Biden Can’t Win in Debt-Ceiling Fight35 articles · 27 sources
      11 left, 9 center, 7 right
    23. May 16– 17Biden scraps planned visit to Australia, Papua New Guinea to focus on debt limit talks20 articles · 18 sources
      5 left, 7 center, 4 right
    24. May 17– 20Biden meets with Indo-Pacific leaders at G7 amid US debt limit crisis24 articles · 13 sources
      1 left, 10 center, 1 right
    25. May 17– 24How you can prepare for a debt default20 articles · 13 sources
      3 left, 7 center, 2 right
    26. May 17House Democrats attempt end-run around GOP to raise debt ceiling6 articles · 6 sources
      2 left, 0 center, 4 right
    27. May 18Why a government default could be worse than a government shutdown5 articles · 4 sources
      2 left, 1 center, 1 right
    28. May 18– 24Majority of Americans say debt ceiling increase should come with spending cuts: poll9 articles · 8 sources
      2 left, 1 center, 4 right
    29. May 19– 25Look who's talking: Biden goes quiet in debt-limit talks, while McCarthy can't stop chatting14 articles · 12 sources
      5 left, 4 center, 3 right
    30. May 19– 24What Would a U.S. Debt Default Mean for the World?31 articles · 20 sources
      7 left, 7 center, 2 right
    31. May 19– 21Debt limit talks stall as Republicans, White House face 'real differences'88 articles · 45 sources
      17 left, 18 center, 8 right
    32. May 19– 26Deputy Treasury secretary rules out possibility of using 14th Amendment to raise debt ceiling36 articles · 25 sources
      9 left, 6 center, 9 right
    33. May 21– 27Yellen sets new deadline for Congress to raise the debt ceiling: June 570 articles · 45 sources
      12 left, 21 center, 11 right
    34. May 21– 24Debt default could cut millions of jobs. Here's who would lose employment first14 articles · 3 sources
      0 left, 2 center, 1 right
    35. May 22– 29Debt ceiling deal: What's in and what's out of the agreement to avert US default50 articles · 29 sources
      6 left, 14 center, 5 right
    36. May 22– 27Biden, McCarthy agree to talk on debt crisis, speaker says negotiators 'closer to an agreement'225 articles · 81 sources
      27 left, 32 center, 18 right
    37. May 23– 30Biden and GOP Reach Debt-Ceiling Deal. Now Congress Must Approve It to Prevent Calamitous Default365 articles · 97 sources
      27 left, 38 center, 26 right
    38. May 24Anxious retirees, social service groups making default contingency plans35 articles · 8 sources
      1 left, 7 center, 0 right
    39. May 25– 27Why it's difficult to pinpoint the 'X-date' when US would default42 articles · 13 sources
      3 left, 7 center, 3 right
    40. May 25– 26Debt ceiling talks teeter, lawmakers leave town without a deal54 articles · 23 sources
      11 left, 8 center, 4 right
    41. May 25Fitch puts America’s AAA credit rating on negative watch amid debt ceiling battle7 articles · 7 sources
      1 left, 3 center, 3 right
    42. May 26– 27Biden says debt deal 'very close' with default deadline now set at June 538 articles · 20 sources
      7 left, 9 center, 1 right
    43. May 28– Jun 2How Biden and House Speaker McCarthy 'shrunk the room' to get to a debt ceiling deal629 articles · 130 sources
      41 left, 50 center, 33 right
    44. May 28House Republicans, White House reach deal in principle to raise debt limit, sources tell ABC News10 articles · 4 sources
      0 left, 4 center, 0 right
    45. May 28– 29Biden, McCarthy reach final deal to prevent default, now must sell to Congress119 articles · 49 sources
      14 left, 23 center, 8 right
    46. May 28– 31CBO says debt ceiling deal would cut deficits by $1.5 trillion over the next decade9 articles · 8 sources
      2 left, 3 center, 3 right
    47. May 28Debt ceiling tests McCarthy, as GOP speaker rides breezily through fight of his career9 articles · 9 sources
      4 left, 3 center, 2 right
    49. May 29– 30DeSantis, wading into debt ceiling fight, puts pressure on Trump8 articles · 8 sources
      2 left, 2 center, 4 right
    50. May 29– Jun 1Debt ceiling deal would reinstate student loan payments: Here's the earliest payment is expected59 articles · 22 sources
      7 left, 11 center, 4 right
    51. May 31House to vote on debt limit deal as lawmakers race to avert default5 articles · 5 sources
      2 left, 2 center, 0 right

  6. June 2023

    1. Jun 1– 2Lauren Boebert refuses to explain her absence from debt ceiling vote7 articles · 5 sources
      3 left, 2 center, 0 right
    2. Jun 1– 4Biden signs debt ceiling bill that pulls U.S. back from brink of unprecedented default309 articles · 113 sources
      38 left, 42 center, 27 right
    4. Jun 7House conservatives block GOP bills, voice frustration in response to last week’s debt ceiling vote7 articles · 6 sources
      3 left, 2 center, 1 right