U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) rose steadily in the fourth quarter of 2023, as did the national debt.

The Details: According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. GDP rose by $328 billion in Q4 of 2023, a 3.3% increase from the same period in 2023. Economists reportedly expected growth of around 2%. Meanwhile, the federal government added over $800 billion to the national debt in Q4, according to the Treasury Department.

For Context: The U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio passed 100% in 2013 and currently stands around 123%.

How the Media Covered it: Many left- and center-rated sources framed the GDP data as great news for the economy. Few, if any, mentioned the debt growth. Conversely, right-rated outlets focused more on debt growth than GDP growth, and framed the situation as economically unsustainable. CNBC (Center bias) said "the U.S. easily skirted a recession that many forecasters had thought was inevitable." Axios (Lean Left) said it was "much stronger growth than economists expected and caps a year of economic resilience as the nation avoided a projected recession." An article from the Daily Caller (Right) began by reporting that the "federal government’s debt grew more than twice the amount that the economy did in the fourth quarter of 2023."

Why the Difference: People on the right are generally more concerned about high government debt than people on the left are. Those on the left may be more optimistic about the Biden administration's economic plans.