The U.S. Department of the Treasury says U.S. national debt has topped 16 trillion dollars for the first time ever.

U.S. government debt has nearly tripled over the past ten years and increased five-point-four trillion dollars since President Barack Obama took office.

The Republican Party is criticizing that U.S. citizens have to shoulder huge debts, as Obama has focused on spending in an attempt to buoy the economy.

But the Democratic Party retorts that U.S. national debt has snowballed from former President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy and entrance into the Iraq War.