Rand Paul Wants Elon Musk’s DOGE To Audit Fort Knox’s $425 Billion Gold Reserve

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is calling for an audit of Fort Knox’s gold reserves, enlisting Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to verify whether the US gold supply remains intact. Paul’s push follows decades of speculation about the true status of the 4,580-ton reserve housed in the heavily secured Kentucky facility.

The discussion gained traction after Musk responded to an X post questioning why the gold supply is not reviewed annually. “Surely it’s reviewed at least every year,” Musk commented. Paul quickly replied, “Nope. Let’s do it,” signaling his willingness to have DOGE investigate.

The last full public inspection of Fort Knox took place in 1974, following concerns that the reserves had been looted. A small congressional delegation and journalists were allowed inside, but doubts persisted over whether all the gold was accounted for. More than 40 years later, then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin visited in 2017, but details from his visit were limited to a few low-quality images of gold bars.

Fort Knox holds approximately 147 million troy ounces of gold, making up more than half of the federal government’s reserves. The facility is guarded by the US Mint Police, and access is strictly controlled. However, secrecy surrounding the depository has fueled speculation that the gold may have been secretly moved or sold.

Paul’s father, former Rep. Ron Paul, attempted to push an audit of Fort Knox in 2010 but was met with resistance. Now, with Musk leading DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting efforts, there is renewed momentum for a review of the reserve. DOGE has already eliminated wasteful spending in multiple government agencies, and its involvement in auditing the nation’s gold supply could add further scrutiny to federal financial management.

With growing public interest, the push for an audit may gain traction. Whether Musk and DOGE will get inside Fort Knox remains to be seen.