The Last Untapped Power Source in America

After 50 Years of Restrictions, Former CIA Advisor Says “America Is Finally Flipping the Switch” on Its Own Hidden Supply Chain

/EIN News/ -- WASHINGTON, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For decades, the United States has outsourced its strength—its manufacturing, its energy, its materials. But according to Jim Rickards, a former advisor to the U.S. Treasury and intelligence community, the country is finally turning inward—and turning on a resource more powerful than most Americans realize.

“We’re not broke. We’ve just been blocked,” says Rickards. “And now—for the first time in half a century—we can go get what’s ours.”

He’s referring to a vast collection of minerals and materials beneath federally controlled lands—resources Rickards claims are valued near $150 trillion and have remained inaccessible due to a decades-long web of regulation.

Power Held, Then Released

At the core of this shift is the recent overturning of the Chevron Doctrine by the U.S. Supreme Court—a legal framework that, for decades, gave federal agencies broad authority to stall projects, deny permits, and shut down access to American land.

“It essentially gave so-called government experts ‘kill shot’ power,” Rickards explains.

With that power now curtailed, Rickards says the country is poised to reclaim the very materials that power its defense systems, energy grid, digital infrastructure—and future.

A Resource Not of the Future, but the Forgotten

Rickards describes this as “America’s birthright”— a reserve created not recently, but in the wake of the Civil War. He claims the 42nd Congress quietly embedded legal protections into federal code, giving rise to a dormant endowment of national wealth hidden in plain sight.

“It’s been this big secret for years,” Rickards says. “The estimated size of this fund has grown and grown… to the point where its raw value sits near $150 trillion and counting.”

“$150 trillion is enough to pay off the national debt four-times over,” he adds.

Not Innovation—Restoration

In an era obsessed with innovation and the next big thing, Rickards argues this moment isn’t about creating something new—it’s about restoring access to something real, proven, and American.

“This is not some kind of government program like those COVID relief checks,” he clarifies. “But it is a chance for the average American to become richer than they ever imagined.”

“They have deprived us of OUR Birthright,” he says.

A System Built on Sovereignty

Rickards points to a wider trend—a return to what he calls “the American System,” a model based on tariffs, production, and national ownership of critical infrastructure.

“We didn’t have an income tax for much of our history. Instead, the government drew revenue from tariffs.”

“It’s time for the United States to return to the system that made us richer and more powerful than ever before.” – President Donald J. Trump

About Jim Rickards

Jim Rickards is a lawyer, economist, and former advisor to the CIA, Pentagon, and U.S. Treasury. Over his 40-year career, he has helped shape U.S. financial and security policy during some of the most pivotal moments in recent history. He is the author of several bestselling books including Currency Wars, The Death of Money, and Aftermath.

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