Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has extended an invitation to billionaire Elon Musk to inspect the U.S. gold reserves at Fort Knox, following growing speculation about the transparency of the country’s gold holdings.

BREAKING: Senator Rand Paul is now calling for an audit on Fort Knox to ensure that the US gold is still there. pic.twitter.com/tzfbMVbUBi

— aka (@akafaceUS) February 16, 2025

Elon Musk Called This Financial News 'Terrifying'

A popular libertarian account on X with two million followers suggested that Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), should investigate the U.S. gold reserves to confirm their presence.

The post, from Zero Hedge, read: “It would be great if Elon Musk could take a look inside Fort Knox just to make sure the 4,580 tons of US gold is there. Last time anyone looked was 50 years ago in 1974.”

It would be great if @elonmusk could take a look inside Fort Knox just to make sure the 4,580 tons of US gold is there. Last time anyone looked was 50 years ago in 1974.

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 15, 2025

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Musk responded by questioning whether the gold supply is reviewed annually, replying: “Surely it’s reviewed at least every year?”

Surely it’s reviewed at least every year?

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 15, 2025

Sen. Paul quickly weighed in, saying “nope” and encouraging Musk to conduct an official review through DOGE staffers at the Fort Knox Army base.

Nope. Let’s do it. https://t.co/4sgVpaCwwz

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) February 16, 2025

The U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox holds approximately 147 million troy ounces of gold, accounting for 56.35 percent of the total gold held by the federal government.

The U.S. Mint Police are responsible for securing the facility, which has long been a subject of speculation regarding its inventory.

Gold reserves serve as a hedge against inflation and economic instability, though the U.S. no longer operates under the gold standard.

Periodic inspections have been conducted, but public access to these audits remains limited.

The 1974 inspection referenced in the X post was conducted in response to widespread conspiracy theories claiming the gold had been removed.

To dispel doubts, members of Congress and the media were given a tour by the U.S. Mint director.

More recently, in August 2017, then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, along with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and others, visited the vault and released a few grainy black-and-white images of gold bars.

Mnuchin’s visit marked the first time a Treasury secretary had inspected the depository since 1948.

The vault’s first recorded inspection occurred in 1943, during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration, in the midst of World War II.

Biggest story of the day: Senator Rand Paul is calling for an audit on Fort Knox to ensure the 4,580 tons US gold is still there

Here’s what you were NEVER TOLD about the gold at Fort Knox

America’s Wealth, The largest fortune in the history of the world, was stolen. The Fort… pic.twitter.com/geYwfVBvvG

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) February 16, 2025

Since being appointed to a position of influence in Washington under President Donald Trump, Musk has spearheaded efforts to reduce what he and the administration consider wasteful spending.

As head of DOGE, Musk has led sweeping budget cuts across multiple federal agencies, including the complete shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which resulted in thousands of job losses.

Musk’s reforms have also included cutting billions in funding from agencies like the Department of Education and firing top financial officials at FEMA.

His team has further moved to eliminate DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs across federal departments and cancel government contracts linked to those initiatives.

With speculation mounting about further agency cuts, Musk’s potential review of Fort Knox could add another layer to his ongoing federal oversight efforts.

Whether he takes up Paul’s invitation remains to be seen.

This keeps the facts intact, avoids AI-like phrasing, and maintains a neutral news tone. Let me know if you need any tweaks!

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