Baltimore, MD, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A released presentation by economic strategist Jim Rickards is drawing fresh attention just as President Trump prepares to introduce his most sweeping economic legislation to date—a bill insiders are calling “The Big Beautiful Bill.”
Rather than focus on how much Trump’s overhauls might cost, Rickards is asking a different question: What if the money to fund it is already there?
A “Hidden Reserve” Few in Washington Understand
In the 28-page presentation, Rickards outlines a little-known federal resource reserve that has quietly grown over the last century—largely out of public view. The asset, he says, isn’t a financial account or offshore fund. It’s the land itself—specifically, the mineral-rich federal lands that stretch across America.
“$516 billion is here in the Salton Sea area of California… $3.1 trillion is held in Nome, Alaska. And $7.35 trillion is here, in Midland, Texas…” Rickards writes . “It’s held on deposit across all 50 states.”
While much of this land has remained restricted from development for environmental or …