Elon Musk urged U.S. officials to audit how much gold is at the Fort Knox military base in Kentucky, addressing decades-old conspiracies that the U.S. gold reserves are no longer there.
The senior advisor for President Donald Trump has shared a few posts to X criticizing the lack of annual audits determining the amount of gold there. He responded to a user’s post Saturday suggesting the Tesla CEO ensure the gold remains there with a question, “Surely it’s reviewed at least every year?”
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky responded to the post Sunday with, “Nope. Let’s do it.” The same day, Musk responded to a post from Sen. Mike Lee, where the Utah representative said his repeated attempts to enter the base have been denied without a valid explanation.
“Who is confirming that gold wasn’t stolen from Fort Knox?” Musk wrote on Monday replying to Lee’s comment. “Maybe it’s there, maybe it’s not. That gold is owned by the American public! We want to know if it’s still there.”
The billionaire and SpaceX founder posted a meme Monday from the animated comedy “South Park” that reads “Annnnd It’s Gone” with the caption, “Looking for the gold at Fort Knox …” He also responded to a post by right-wing radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones suggesting creating a live video walkthrough of the military base for the public to watch.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives at the Fort Knox base for comment.
Musk’s comments come as the White House said on Tuesday that Musk is not actually overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), despite Trump previously announcing him as head of the new agency. White House Office of Administration Director Joshua Fisher said in a declaration filed in the U.S. District Court that Musk is a “senior advisor to the president.”
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What is the Fort Knox base?
Fort Knox is a Kentucky military installation about 40 miles south of Louisville, known for holding more than 147 million ounces of the U.S.’ gold reserves.
The base has previously also stored several historic rarities, from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. It also hosts thousands of 25,200 soldiers, contractors, civilian employees and family members.
Where is the Fort Knox base located?
The Kentucky depository spans 108,955 acres across Hardin, Meade and Bullitt counties.
An M1 Abrams tank sits on a pedestal above the entrance signage to Fort Knox, a US military installation, on May 31, 2021 in Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Is there gold missing from Fort Knox?
There is no evidence to suggest gold is missing from Fort Knox base, though access to the military base is tightly limited to authorized personnel only.
When was the last gold audit?
The last reported audit at the Fort Knox reserve was in September 1974, when several Congressional representatives assured the American public that the supply remained intact, according to the US. Mint. Gerald R. Ford, who was president at the time of the visit, allowed a batch of journalists to attend.
“The Congressional inspection adheres to the new open door policy of the government announced by President Ford,” then Director of the Mint Mary Brooks said in a news release. “By also inviting the press to witness the Congressional inspection, the Mint is clearing away cobwebs and re-assuring the public that their gold is intact and safe.”
When was the last tour of Fort Knox base?
The last tour of the Fort Knox base was on Aug. 24, 2017 during the first Trump administration. U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and a few Congressional representatives entered the base in the first visit to non-authorized personnel in over 40 years, according to the U.S. Mint.
How much gold is held at Fort Knox?
The U.S. Mint states that there are 147.4 million ounces of gold at the Fort Knox depository, more than any other base.
How much gold does US government hold?
The U.S. owns 8,133.46 metric tons of gold, according to the World Gold Council, more than any other nation and holds more than twice of Germany’s stash, at 3,351.53.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Elon Musk urges US check that gold isn’t missing from Fort Knox
