Scott Bessent

I think what's interesting is where do we see the gold demand coming from? A huge amount is from China. Yes. Where, as I said, they're in the middle of an economic recession slash depression. People don't trust the Chinese currency because they have capital controls. There are 1.4 billion Chinese who all want to get their money out and they won't let them. They will let them buy gold.

I think what's interesting is where do we see the gold demand coming from? A huge amount is from China. Yes. Where, as I said, they're in the middle of an economic recession slash depression. People don't trust the Chinese currency because they have capital controls. There are 1.4 billion Chinese who all want to get their money out and they won't let them. They will let them buy gold.

I think that gold has a lot of history going with it. A friend of mine's grandmother during Russia had a financial crisis in 98. Then they had a big inflation. And a friend of mine's grandmother went out and bought 18 bicycles. and put them in her apartment, and that was her store of value. Yes. How'd she do on the bike investment? Great. Great. I wish I did that well.

I think that gold has a lot of history going with it. A friend of mine's grandmother during Russia had a financial crisis in 98. Then they had a big inflation. And a friend of mine's grandmother went out and bought 18 bicycles. and put them in her apartment, and that was her store of value. Yes. How'd she do on the bike investment? Great. Great. I wish I did that well.

I think that gold has a lot of history going with it. A friend of mine's grandmother during Russia had a financial crisis in 98. Then they had a big inflation. And a friend of mine's grandmother went out and bought 18 bicycles. and put them in her apartment, and that was her store of value. Yes. How'd she do on the bike investment? Great. Great. I wish I did that well.

But gold also has other applications, a lot of applications, jewelry in India, but it's something that historically people have all agreed on, and gold does not have – gold can't have a fiscal problem. Gold cannot have a gigantic budget deficit. Gold cannot have a war. So just the fact that it is this isolated thing makes it very interesting.

But gold also has other applications, a lot of applications, jewelry in India, but it's something that historically people have all agreed on, and gold does not have – gold can't have a fiscal problem. Gold cannot have a gigantic budget deficit. Gold cannot have a war. So just the fact that it is this isolated thing makes it very interesting.

But gold also has other applications, a lot of applications, jewelry in India, but it's something that historically people have all agreed on, and gold does not have – gold can't have a fiscal problem. Gold cannot have a gigantic budget deficit. Gold cannot have a war. So just the fact that it is this isolated thing makes it very interesting.

And the fact that the entire global trading system, until Richard Nixon took us off, was tied to gold. So you're not anti-gold. Oh, no, no, no, no. When I had my fun, I think people might have called me a gold bug. How did you wind up interacting with Zelenskyy? The president asked me to go to Kyiv. Well, he actually asked me to lead the economic agreement that was part of his peace plan.

And the fact that the entire global trading system, until Richard Nixon took us off, was tied to gold. So you're not anti-gold. Oh, no, no, no, no. When I had my fun, I think people might have called me a gold bug. How did you wind up interacting with Zelenskyy? The president asked me to go to Kyiv. Well, he actually asked me to lead the economic agreement that was part of his peace plan.

And the fact that the entire global trading system, until Richard Nixon took us off, was tied to gold. So you're not anti-gold. Oh, no, no, no, no. When I had my fun, I think people might have called me a gold bug. How did you wind up interacting with Zelenskyy? The president asked me to go to Kyiv. Well, he actually asked me to lead the economic agreement that was part of his peace plan.

And I think it's important to look at the arc of President Trump's peace plan. And he had sequenced it really well. It was, we're going to sign a deal with Ukrainians, and it'll do several things. One, it will make the U.S. and Ukraine partners, link us closer together. Two, it will be a symbol to Russian leadership that the U.S. isn't abandoning Ukraine.

And I think it's important to look at the arc of President Trump's peace plan. And he had sequenced it really well. It was, we're going to sign a deal with Ukrainians, and it'll do several things. One, it will make the U.S. and Ukraine partners, link us closer together. Two, it will be a symbol to Russian leadership that the U.S. isn't abandoning Ukraine.

And I think it's important to look at the arc of President Trump's peace plan. And he had sequenced it really well. It was, we're going to sign a deal with Ukrainians, and it'll do several things. One, it will make the U.S. and Ukraine partners, link us closer together. Two, it will be a symbol to Russian leadership that the U.S. isn't abandoning Ukraine.

But importantly, three, it will show the American people that we have an economic stake and that we haven't just been doing these massive grants, which has been the history of USAID. Of course. So Ukraine succeeds, we succeed, and it could be a long-term partnership. Now, President, I thought it was important to take the agreement to Kyiv and present it to President Zelensky.

But importantly, three, it will show the American people that we have an economic stake and that we haven't just been doing these massive grants, which has been the history of USAID. Of course. So Ukraine succeeds, we succeed, and it could be a long-term partnership. Now, President, I thought it was important to take the agreement to Kyiv and present it to President Zelensky.

But importantly, three, it will show the American people that we have an economic stake and that we haven't just been doing these massive grants, which has been the history of USAID. Of course. So Ukraine succeeds, we succeed, and it could be a long-term partnership. Now, President, I thought it was important to take the agreement to Kyiv and present it to President Zelensky.

Everyone was telling me, oh, no, having Michu in Vienna, he's going to be at the Munich Security Conference a few days later. I said, no. I want to go there and discuss it with him. And that's how I ended up going to Kyiv. Very interesting going to Kyiv. Fly to Poland. Then you get on, I don't know if you've been on it, get on this night train for 10 hours.

Everyone was telling me, oh, no, having Michu in Vienna, he's going to be at the Munich Security Conference a few days later. I said, no. I want to go there and discuss it with him. And that's how I ended up going to Kyiv. Very interesting going to Kyiv. Fly to Poland. Then you get on, I don't know if you've been on it, get on this night train for 10 hours.

Everyone was telling me, oh, no, having Michu in Vienna, he's going to be at the Munich Security Conference a few days later. I said, no. I want to go there and discuss it with him. And that's how I ended up going to Kyiv. Very interesting going to Kyiv. Fly to Poland. Then you get on, I don't know if you've been on it, get on this night train for 10 hours.