Most current holdings that the Treasury posts online has China at 1.24 and Japan at 1.19 trillion.
Third are the hedge fund holdings (in the Caymans, etc.) listed at 324 billion.
In all ~6 trillion dollars in U.S. debt is held by 'foreigners'.
IOUs to Social Security, etc. amount to another 5.1 trillion.
That leaves about 7 trillion held by the U.S. (grandma, insurance companies, etc.)
China’s been dumping treasuries lately too.
The point is, we didn’t have the money to invade Iraq. We had to borrow it, helping to sink us trillions further into debt - and into decline as a world power.
Worth it?
So, default on the loans from non-allies and go to war with the biggest one— China. That would put them away, twice.
That foreign debt is probably an insurance policy that keeps America more secure. If someone owes you a ton of money, its difficult to get it back if you kill the guy. Our ability to pay is of importance to China.....