CNBC Anchors Crack Up at Ft. Knox Conspiracy Trump Floated in Air Force One Presser: ‘The Gold Is There!’
CNBC anchors had a laugh as they asked former Trump Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin about a wild idea floated by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk — maybe there’s really no gold in Fort Knox!
On Wednesday night Trump — aboard Air Force One after giving a speech in Miami — appeared in the press cabin and took questions for about 15 minutes. In one exchange, he volunteered that he’s having Elon Musk go to Ft. Knox to check out his baseless suggestion the gold may have been stolen:
We’re going to go into Fort Knox to make sure the gold is still there. You know that? We’re going to go into Fort Knox. You know about that? We hope everything is fine with Fort Knox. But we’re going to go to Fort Knox and make sure the gold is still there.
On Thursday morning’s edition of CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, David Faber brought up the issue to Mnuchin, who assured him the gold is certainly still there. Faber and co-anchors Jim Cramer and Carl Quintanilla laughed as they reported the news, and Cramer recounted the plot to Goldfinger:
DAVID FABER: And finally, there’s been a lot of conversation recently about whether there’s the gold that we think there is in Fort Knox when we were sitting down here.
You reminded me you actually have a very specific personal experience. And tell us, is the gold at Fort Knox?
STEVE MNUCHIN: The gold was there when I visited and I hope nobody’s moved it. I’m sure they haven’t.
I was the first treasury secretary to go there in I think over 50 years, there’s very serious security protocols in place, obviously, to protect the gold that I can’t talk about.
But we went we saw it, and I–, if President Trump wants it to be audited, that’s obviously something that can be done.
DAVID FABER: I think you went in 2017, by the way. I’m curious, You said you were the first treasury secretary to visit in 50 years. Why did you actually go see the gold?
STEVE MNUCHIN: We thought the gold stands for the U.S.–, although it’s not backing the U.S. currency. It’s obviously a major asset in the Treasury. And we thought it was something important to do.
DAVID FABER: Steven, always appreciate it. Thanks for being a friend of the show.
STEVE MNUCHIN: Thanks.
Steven Mnuchin, former Treasury secretary. Guys, the gold is there! It’s at Fort Knox! At least it was when he visited. (LAUGHS)
CARL QUINTANILLA: (LAUGHS) David, thanks. We’ll talk in a little bit. (LAUGHS) Thoughts on that, Jim?
JIM CRAMER: Well, I just– like, OddJob was defeated, Bond got it. And it was never irradiated. And I think it was nice. That was about 50 years ago. So there you go! That’s what he was checking!
Watch above via CNBC’s Squawk on the Street.
