Fort Knox, the United States’ most secure gold depository, has returned to the headlines after President Trump announced that Elon Musk will conduct an inspection to verify the facility’s gold reserves.
Constructed in 1936 and built with fortress-like strength, Fort Knox is renowned for its formidable security. The vaults are protected by thick granite, concrete, and steel, and the site has long been considered nearly impregnable. Throughout its history, access has been tightly controlled: President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited, a select group of journalists and members of Congress toured the facility in 1974, and Treasury officials inspected the holdings in 2017.
While the Treasury maintains that regular audits confirm the presence of the gold, President Trump has called for an independent verification by Elon Musk to provide additional assurance about the reserves.