Rand Paul Extends Surprising Invitation to an Absolutely Shocked Elon Musk
Rand Paul Extends a Surprising Invitation to Audit America’s Largest Gold Reserves to an Absolutely Shocked Elon Musk
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has invited billionaire Elon Musk to visit Kentucky’s Fort Knox and review the country’s largest gold reserves, following online speculation about the security and existence of the stockpile.
The call for an audit arose after a popular account on X, with two million followers, urged Musk—who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—to investigate the military base’s bullion depository.
The post suggested that the last full inspection of Fort Knox’s 4,580 tons of gold occurred in 1974.
“It would be great if Elon Musk could take a look inside Fort Knox just to make sure the 4,580 tons of U.S. gold is there,” the post read, referencing an event nearly 50 years ago when the U.S. Mint allowed a select group of lawmakers and journalists to tour the facility amid conspiracy theories that the gold had vanished.
Musk, who has spearheaded numerous cost-cutting efforts within federal agencies since being appointed to a Washington role by President Donald Trump, appeared to be caught off guard by the claim.
“Surely it’s reviewed at least every year?” Musk responded.
Sen. Paul quickly weighed in, rejecting Musk’s assumption. “Nope,” Paul wrote, before inviting Musk and his DOGE staffers to personally assess the reserves.
The Daily Mail reported that the U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox holds approximately 147 million troy ounces of gold, representing more than half of the U.S. government’s total reserves.
Though some reports suggest an inspection occurred in 2017—when then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin visited the site alongside Sen. Leader Mitch McConnel (R-KY)l—public documentation of the visit is sparse, consisting of a few low-quality black-and-white images.
Fort Knox is guarded by the U.S. Mint Police, and its reserves are considered a financial safeguard against economic instability.
Though the gold standard no longer underpins the U.S. economy, the vast stores of bullion help bolster public confidence in the nation’s currency.
DOGE has been at the forefront of drastic federal spending cuts, with Musk eliminating major agencies and programs in recent months.
TTOA previously reported that one of the most significant actions under his oversight was the complete dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which resulted in more than 10,000 employees either being fired or left in limbo.
DOGE has also cut billions from various departments, including the Department of Education, and has removed four top financial officials from FEMA.
Beyond financial restructuring, Musk’s team has also aggressively moved to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, ending funding for these initiatives across federal agencies.
TTOA has noted that government contracts with private firms specializing in DEI initiatives were also abruptly canceled, raising speculation that other agencies could be targeted next.
The debate over Fort Knox has reignited long-standing skepticism about the U.S. gold reserves, with some questioning whether all of the gold remains intact.
Daily Mail explained that the first official inspection of the site was conducted in 1943 under President Franklin Roosevelt, during the aftermath of the Great Depression and World War II.
The widely publicized 1974 tour, which was meant to dispel rumors of missing bullion, included members of Congress and the media, led by the U.S. Mint Director at the time.
If Musk accepts Paul’s invitation, it could mark the most high-profile visit to Fort Knox in decades.
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