The national debt increased every year under Clinton. The annual budget deficit was reduced significantly for several years, but never achieved a surplus in any year. The misdirection was that public debt (T-Bills, bonds, etc) produced a surplus because the government was paying them off faster than issuing securities. At the same time there was a ton of borrowing between agencies (Social Security).

Plus there was a lot of media hype that "In two years there is a projected budget surplus of $XX billion", but those projections never developed.

From the US Treasury for the budget years approved by Clinton.

FiscalYear Year Ending National Debt Deficit
FY1993 09/30/1993 $4.411488 trillion
FY1994 09/30/1994 $4.692749 trillion $281.26 billion
FY1995 09/29/1995 $4.973982 trillion $281.23 billion
FY1996 09/30/1996 $5.224810 trillion $250.83 billion
FY1997 09/30/1997 $5.413146 trillion $188.34 billion
FY1998 09/30/1998 $5.526193 trillion $113.05 billion
FY1999 09/30/1999 $5.656270 trillion $130.08 billion
FY2000 09/29/2000 $5.674178 trillion $17.91 billion
FY2001 09/28/2001 $5.807463 trillion $133.29 billion


That said, the country's debt standing was a lot better in the roaring 90's than it is currently.

__________________
Greg Schwall

1983 300SD - 465,000 miles