US President Donald Trump has suggested that Elon Musk may inspect Fort Knox, the famous Kentucky facility known for housing the United States’ gold reserves. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reassures that annual audits confirm all gold is accounted for at this historically significant depository, which has been safeguarding bullion since 1937.
Fort Knox not only functions as a gold reserve but also serves as a command centre for the US Army’s human resources, hosting its largest annual training event. The military post, located about 56km south of Louisville, spans over 109,000 acres and has its origins in World War I. Originally an artillery training centre, it became a permanent installation in 1932.
As of now, Fort Knox stores approximately 147.3 million ounces of gold, nearly half of the Treasury’s total reserves. The facility is renowned for its security, constructed with concrete and steel in 1936, and access to its vaults is extremely restricted. In fact, there have only been a handful of occasions—such as in 1974 and 2017—when the vaults were opened for external inspection.
Moreover, Fort Knox has permeated popular culture, symbolising impenetrable security, as evidenced by its appearance in various films and cartoons, including the James Bond classic Goldfinger.