The American Debate No One Is Having—Until Now: Jim Rickards Spotlights a Buried Resource That Could Be Worth Up to $150 Trillion

Former CIA Insider Says It's Time to Talk About What’s Under Our Feet, Not Just What’s on the Table

/EIN News/ -- WASHINGTON, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From stimulus packages to spending cuts, debt ceilings to deficits, every major economic decision in Washington centers on what’s immediately visible.

But according to Jim Rickards, former CIA advisor and bestselling author, the most important financial conversation America could have is the one it keeps ignoring.

“We’ve argued for decades about the value we’ve created,” Rickards says. “But almost no one’s talking about the value we’ve left untouched.”

A RESOURCE OUT OF SIGHT—AND OUT OF THE CONVERSATION

Rickards points to millions of acres of federally managed land—much of it rich in strategic materials like lithium, copper, silver, and rare earths—as one of the most under examined elements of U.S. national strength.

“We’ve built policy on what we borrow, print, and trade,” he says. “But the real power might be what we’re standing on.”

While these reserves have long been protected under environmental and administrative frameworks, Rickards believes a new legal and geopolitical moment demands a reevaluation.

AFTER CHEVRON: A NEW LEGAL LANDSCAPE

Rickards says the 2024 Supreme Court decision overturning the Chevron Doctrine could open the door for courts and lawmakers to reinterpret long-standing agency restrictions—especially on land use and permitting.

“This isn’t a green light,” he says. “It’s a shift in who holds the pen—and that matters when the stakes are this high.”

A NATIONAL CONVERSATION THAT STARTS WITH A NUMBER

When asked what the resource might be worth if measured in today’s market terms, Rickards points to a number rarely spoken aloud in American economic discussions: $150 trillion.

“That’s not a promise or a guarantee,” he clarifies. “It’s a wake-up call. That’s what we may have left out of the national ledger all this time.”

About Jim Rickards

Jim Rickards is a lawyer, economist, and former advisor to the CIA, Pentagon, and U.S. Treasury. Known for his expertise in crisis forecasting, economic warfare, and hidden systems of national power, he’s the author of Currency Wars, The Road to Ruin, and The Death of Money.

Media Contact:
Derek Warren
Public Relations Manager
Paradigm Press Group
Email: dwarren@paradigmpressgroup.com