Debt Badge
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The Debt Badge (also called the debt clock pin or debt clock) is a wearable device created and frequently worn by U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) that has an electronic real-time display of the U.S. national debt.
History
Thomas Massie first had the idea to create the Debt Badge around Christmas 2022 and ordered the parts to build it.[1] He finished and debuted the device in late January 2023.[1] Massie has an engineering background, earning two engineering degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).[2] The badge has since been worn at sessions of Congress by Thomas Massie[3] and Representative George Santos who suggested that all members of Congress should wear one to the 2023 State of the Union address.[1]
Design
The Debt Badge is the size of a nine-volt battery and has about 500 lines of code.[1] Massie programmed the device to connect to the internet and retrieve actual debt figures from the U.S. Treasury Department's website.[2] The device is designed to run for 16 hours between charges so it can be worn to all day when Massie is in Washington D.C., stating that he only does not wear the Debt Badge in D.C. when he is sleeping.[4][1]
Reception
Massie stated that he built the badge to "induce a little anxiety among my colleagues" and to create "some concern for the debt." Massie also stated that his congressional colleagues have been "appalled that they have to look at what they created."[5][2] The badge has received significant news coverage and has gone viral on social media.[6][7][8] Massie frequently wears the badge to congressional hearings, campaign events, and other events.[5][9]
In June 2025, during a public feud with President Trump, Massie stated, "I'm going to program my debt badge to display the number of milliseconds that have elapsed since @realDonaldTrump has tweeted at me last."[10][11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Papp, Justin (2023-02-03). "Thomas Massie will wear his ticking debt clock to the State of the Union". Roll Call. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Kentucky's Rep. Massie wears self-made debt clock pin". ny1.com. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ Leonhardt, David (2024-10-08). "Federal Debt and the Election". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ Grisales, Claudia (2025-06-11). "The GOP megabill could cost trillions, putting focus on fiscal conservatism rhetoric". NPR. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Pinski, Hannah. "Thomas Massie, Rand Paul talk Epstein files, national debt on campaign tour". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ Berman, Russell (2026-04-25). "The Republican Who Outsmarted Trump". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ Massie, Thomas (April 19, 2026). "Tweet".
3 years ago I invented this debt badge and began wearing it everyday in Congress to bring attention to our spending problem. This is serial #001. I made the case from copper roof flashing I had in my basement. Sadly it was $31 trillion then, but now it’s $39 trillion!
- ↑ Leonhardt, David (2024-10-08). "Federal Debt and the Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ Rappeport, Alan (2024-12-24). "Spending Fight Shows Limits of Trump Power to Change Fiscal Path". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2024-12-24. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ "Massie comes up with another way to anger President Trump". POLITICO. 2025-06-24. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ Bidgood, Jess (2025-06-24). "Trump Narrated U.S. Attacks on Iran in Real Time on Truth Social". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2025-06-25. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
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