If the US debt gets to the point that interest on debt can't be paid, the US will just print enormous sums of money. Debt is in $, not in valued or devalued currency.

Sure, the end result will be a deprecation of the dollar. But the interest will be paid.

So the real downside to debt is not-overly apparent. Look at how much money was printed for COVID payments, and the like? And at other economic downturns? I do wonder, when will the merry-go-round stop?