Washington, D.C. – The United States is once again on the brink of a debt ceiling crisis, with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warning that the government could default on its debt as early as mid-January.

In a letter to congressional leaders on Monday, Yellen stated that extraordinary measures to prevent a default will likely be exhausted between January 14th and 23rd. Unless Congress acts to raise the debt ceiling, the U.S. government could be forced to default on its obligations.

The debt ceiling is a legal limit on the total amount of debt that the U.S. government can accrue. When the limit is reached, the government must either raise it or resort to extraordinary measures, such as delaying payments to government contractors or withholding tax refunds.

If these extraordinary measures are exhausted, and the government is unable to borrow additional funds, the U.S. would default on its debt. Experts estimate that this so-called "X-date" could occur as early as mid-June of next year.

The U.S. narrowly averted a debt crisis in January 2022, when Congress agreed to a short-term suspension of the debt ceiling. However, with the deadline looming once again, lawmakers are facing increasing pressure to find a long-term solution.

President-elect Donald Trump has called on Congress to suspend the debt ceiling altogether, but his proposal has faced opposition from Republican lawmakers who are concerned about the growing national debt.

“The full faith and credit of the United States is at stake,” Secretary Yellen wrote in her letter. “I urge Congress to act swiftly to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a catastrophic default.”

A default on the U.S. national debt would have severe consequences for the global economy, potentially leading to a financial crisis. Investors would lose confidence in the U.S. dollar, and interest rates would likely soar, making it more difficult for businesses and consumers to borrow money.