#Socialites, in case you’re feeling overly patriotic (or just incredibly generous), the federal government is now accepting Venmo payments from citizens who want to help pay off the $36 trillion national debt. According to Newsweek, the U.S. Treasury Department has officially added Venmo to its growing list of options for Americans who want to send funds toward the nation’s ballooning deficit voluntarily.
Let’s be clear — this is not a joke. You can literally go to Pay.gov, pull out your phone, open the Venmo app, and send Uncle Sam some change to help manage America’s finances. Other accepted forms of donation include money orders, personal property, or obligations payable to the U.S. government.
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Venmo’s Direct Deposit Feature Now Includes Government Transactions
As part of this unexpected shift, Venmo updated its own policies to make it easier for users to make and receive payments from government agencies — including contributions toward national debt.
“You can provide your Venmo Direct Deposit account number to the government for unemployment payments, tax refunds, Social Security payments, and more,” the new policy reads. “Venmo’s Direct Deposit feature allows for recurring payments, such as unemployment funds, or one-time payments, such as tax returns.”
So in theory, while the IRS can drop a tax refund in your Venmo account, you can turn right back around and send it back to Washington. Irony much?
This new feature aligns with a broader federal effort to modernize payment infrastructure and appeal to younger Americans who prefer mobile wallets over traditional banking. Still, critics argue this feels like a gimmick meant to deflect from real fiscal accountability.
Social Media Reacts To The Federal Government’s Venmo Request
Let’s just say the Internet did not miss a beat. As soon as the news dropped, social media users turned up the sarcasm, confusion, and comedy.