The US Is Flirting With Its First-Ever Population Decline

If there’s one single consistent advantage the United States has carried since its founding, it is its ability to draw talent and expand its population. 

Now, as the country prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday and ponders its appetite for President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration, the US risks recording a historic and economic milestone decades ahead of schedule: Based on at least one respected estimate, 2026 may see the first real population decline in American history.