What was the change in the U.S. public debt during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act went into effect?

Question

What was the change in the U.S. public debt during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act went into effect? 
Multiple choice question.

It fell by more than 50% from $18.2 trillion to $8.5 trillion.

It rose from $23.2 trillion to $26.5 trillion.

It fell from $26.5 trillion to $23.2 trillion.

It more than doubled from $8.5 trillion to $18.2 trillion.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The correct answer is: **It rose from $23.2 trillion to $26.5 trillion.** During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of the CARES Act, the U.S. public debt increased significantly as the government enacted various fiscal measures to address the economic impact of the pandemic.