The astronomical rise in the U.S. national debt poses “significant risks” to the global economy and threatens to continue fueling high inflation, according to a new warning from the International Monetary Fund.

In its latest Fiscal Monitor, the Washington-based institution said that it expects the U.S. to record a fiscal deficit of 7.1% in 2025 – more than triple the level in other advanced economies. 

“Loose fiscal policy in the United States exerts upward pressure on global interest rates and the dollar,” Vitor Gaspar, director of the IMF’s fiscal affairs department, told reporters. “It pushes up funding costs in the rest of the world, thereby exacerbating existing fragilities and risks.”

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Under current policies, public debt in the U.S. is projected to nearly double by 2053. The IMF identified “large fiscal slippages” in the U.S. in 2023, with government spending surpassing revenue by 8.8% of GDP – a 4.1% increase from the previous year, despite strong economic growth.

If this trend continues, the Congressional Budget Office anticipates the national debt will grow to an astonishing $54 trillion in the next decade. Higher interest rates are also compounding the pain of higher debt.

Should that debt materialize, it could risk America’s economic standing in the world.

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The U.S. is one of four countries that needs to critically address “fundamental imbalances between spending and revenue.” The other three are China, Italy and the United Kingdom. 

The U.S. national debt topped $34 trillion in January after a burst of spending by President Biden and Democratic lawmakers and is well on its way to surpassing $35 trillion. 

But the massive amount of spending – though it has helped to propel the economy – also risks reigniting inflation and undermining financial stability worldwide by increasing global funding costs, according to the IMF.

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“It raises short-term risks to the disinflation process, as well as longer-term fiscal and financial stability risks for the global economy,” IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said Tuesday. “Something will have to give.”

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Costco has begun selling a Korean frozen dish so popular that it often flies off the shelves of another major grocer.

Kimbap, similar to sushi, consists of rice and various ingredients wrapped in seaweed. The item has been a popular feature at Trader Joe’s, often selling out.

Costco, filling the void, now has Hanwoomul’s fried tofu and vegetable kimbap pre-sliced rolls listed as a “new” item on its website. 

The rolls, which come six to a bag, can be found in the frozen foods section of Costco warehouse stores. The product is from South Korea, bearing Korean writing on the packaging. 

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“Pretty decent and more saucy than the tj’s one,” one Reddit user wrote under the subreddit KoreanFood, referring to the product sold at Trader Joe’s. Microwaveable instructions are on the bag and each individually wrapped roll, according to a video with the social media post. 

Along with social media users comparing the taste, they are also talking about the price and availability of the products at both Costco and Trader Joe’s. While most Costco reports of the product come from the West Coast, customers from other stores across the U.S. are saying they have found it, too. 

“You get 6 kimbap for $18, making it slightly cheaper than TJ’s,” one Reddit user wrote under the Costco thread. “Solid 8/10. We will definitely be getting it again once it’s back in stock.”

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Trader Joe’s website says it takes a “veggie-forward approach” with its kimbap, and even has a “kimbap expert in the Republic of Korea” that supplies the retail chain. Many stores in the Bay Area of California told news outlet SFGATE that they frequently sell out of kimbap and limit sales to only two per person. 

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Neither grocer responded to FOX Business’ request for comment. 

Cotsco’s kimbap manufacturer Hamwoomul said on its Instagram account that customers can call their local warehouse to check availability with the item numbers they posted. Along with fried tofu and vegetables, the manufacturer said perilla leaf and tuna mayo are also available at Costco.  

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