Washington, D.C., July 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As President Trump prepares to introduce a sweeping legislative package—described by insiders as a “Big Beautiful Bill” with trillion-dollar implications—a released presentation by former White House advisor Jim Rickards may offer a surprising counterbalance.
According to Rickards, the U.S. already controls a little-known national asset capable of offsetting many of the bill’s fiscal demands—without borrowing, taxing, or printing new dollars.
“The nature of this ‘trust’ as I call it, is such that politicians haven’t been able to raid it… which has allowed it to grow untouched… for decades” .
“This is not some kind of government program like those COVID relief checks,” he adds. “But it is a chance for the average American to become richer than they ever imagined” .
A Resource Base Hidden in Plain Sight
The presentation points to a vast store of natural resources—buried beneath federally owned land—stretching across the United States. These include copper, lithium, uranium, and other strategic minerals essential to infrastructure, defense, and energy systems.
“$516 billion is here in the Salton Sea area of California… $3.1 trillion in Nome, Alaska. And $7.35 trillion in Midland, Texas…” .
Rickards notes that these reserves have been known to government agencies for decades, but effectively off-limits due to environmental red tape and political inertia.
Trump’s Pivot to Domestic Wealth
With the introduction of this new bill—which some expect to prioritize military modernization, industrial revitalization, and energy security—Rickards believes the shift toward using domestic assets isn’t just philosophical, it’s practical.
“Trump is re-opening our mineral-rich Federal Lands. And fast-tracking companies that could recover trillions of dollars’ worth of resources, right here in America”.
“There are certain areas where we have great, raw earth… and we’re not allowed to use it because of the environment. I’m going to open them up,” Trump said .
Decades of Delay. Days from Decision.
The presentation references several high-value resource projects that have been stuck in limbo for years:
- “Resolution Copper Mine… 29 years”
- “Pebble Mine… since 1990”
- “Thacker Pass Lithium Mine… since 1978”
Now, Rickards says, the clock may finally be ticking in the other direction.
“We know exactly where these minerals are. We know they’re worth trillions of dollars. And now—for the first time in half a century—we can go get them” .
A New Path Forward?
Rickards argues this isn’t a question of what to create—but whether we’ll finally use what’s already ours.
“It’s not earmarked for any specific individual,” he clarifies. “I’m just trying to use terminology that will make the most sense to viewers” .
“We’ve had this rich endowment right under our feet… yet for years, we refused to touch it” .
As Congress prepares for a new budget cycle, the presentation adds fuel to a growing conversation: Can America build the future… with what it already owns?
About Jim Rickards
Jim Rickards is a former advisor to the CIA, Pentagon, and U.S. Treasury. He played a key role in the Petrodollar Accord in the 1970s, has counseled the U.S. government through major financial and geopolitical events, and is the author of seven New York Times bestselling books. He now serves as a strategic analyst focused on national resilience, resource policy, and economic forecasting.
