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Trump wants to know if there's gold in Fort Knox. (There is)

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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

President Donald Trump, followed by Elon Musk arrives on Air Force One, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md, after returning from Florida. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

WASHINGTON – While flying back to Washington aboard Air Force One on Wednesday night, a reporter asked President Donald Trump whether Elon Musk would pursue budget cuts at the Pentagon.

His response might be confusing to anyone who hasn't spent the last several days monitoring Musk's account on X.

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Trump said Musk would be looking at Fort Knox, the legendary depository for American gold reserves in Kentucky.

Why? ā€œTo make sure the gold is there," Trump said.

Another reporter seemed puzzled. Where would the gold have gone?

ā€œIf the gold isn’t there, we’re going to be very upset," Trump said.

Musk, the world's richest man, who was traveling with the Republican president aboard Air Force One, has spent days posting about this issue.

ā€œWho is confirming that gold wasn’t stolen from Fort Knox?ā€ he wrote Monday. ā€œMaybe it’s there, maybe it’s not.ā€

ā€œLIVESTREAM IT,ā€ someone commented. Musk responded with two fire emojis.

Musk and Trump could ask Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the issue.

Earlier Wednesday, he was asked about the conspiracy theory by Dan O’Donnell, a talk show host in Wisconsin.

ā€œWe do an audit every year,ā€ Bessent said. "All the gold is present and accounted for.ā€

ā€œThis is something that people are apparently very concerned about,ā€ O'Donnell said. ā€œElon Musk has been promising to verify that the gold is still there.ā€

Bessent said he would be happy to arrange an inspection for any senator who is interested.