Trump to inspect Fort Knox amid stolen gold claims

President Donald Trump vowed to go to Fort Knox and personally see if the gold was there

President Donald Trump has announced his intention to personally inspect Fort Knox to confirm whether America’s vast gold reserves are still intact. Speaking at the Republican Governors Association, he questioned whether billions in bullion had mysteriously vanished.

A shocking pledge to uncover the truth

The United States Bullion Depository stands on Fort Knox on Thursday, February 27, 2014 in Fort Knox, Ky. Built in 1936, the depository holds gold bullion reserves belonging to the U.S. Treasury Department

“For my entire life, I’ve heard about Fort Knox—that’s where the gold is kept, right?” Trump stated. “We’re going to open the doors. We want to find out, did anybody steal the gold in Fort Knox?” He emphasized that he expects the vaults to be full, adding, “I don’t want to open it and find the cupboards are bare.”

Elon Musk fuels speculation

Tech mogul Elon Musk, who has been tasked by Trump with eliminating government inefficiency, has also raised questions about the gold’s whereabouts. Musk responded to a post on X asking whether the facility is regularly audited, commenting, “Surely it’s reviewed at least every year?” Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky quickly invited Musk to see the site for himself.

Conspiracy theories resurface

Gold bars seen in Fort Knox in September 1974

The debate over Fort Knox’s gold is not new. In 1974, a congressional delegation and media were granted rare access to the vaults following speculation that the reserves had disappeared. The last recorded inspection was in 2017, when then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin visited the depository. However, only a few grainy images were released to the public, fueling further skepticism.

The stakes of a missing gold reserve

Fort Knox holds approximately 147 million troy ounces of gold, representing over half of the U.S. government’s total reserves. While the gold standard no longer underpins the economy, these reserves serve as a crucial financial safeguard against inflation and economic turmoil.

Trump’s planned visit, which remains unscheduled, has reignited public interest in America’s gold reserves. Whether the president will find the vaults full—or something more alarming—remains to be seen.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.