America’s Just 12.3% of the Problem

Last week, the total debt in the U.S. topped $37 trillion.

Of course, that debt doesn’t include what’s owed on transfer programs – think Social Security and Medicare. The real numbers without the accounting gimmickry are far worse.

But the U.S. isn’t alone. Surging debt levels are a global issue. Total world debt has topped $300 trillion:

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Total debt has been soaring at an unsustainable rate for nearly 30 years.

That makes America’s debt look piddling by comparison – a mere 12.3% of the total. It’s a global crisis waiting to happen.

But that’s not the issue as the Senate debates the “big, beautiful bill” ahead of the 4th of July holiday weekend.

After a spike during the pandemic, U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio is still over 120% – and climbing again.

Historically, no country that crossed the 130% debt-to-GDP ratio has been able to survive long enough to “grow its way out” of a debt crisis.

Therein lies the tension. The Trump Reset formula requires an extension of his first-term tax cuts, low and fair tariffs… and low interest rates.

It’s a tall order. And why he’s pushing to get economic growth on the table before the mid-term elections in November 2026. (To understand it all, we’ve prepared this research: Trump’s Great Reset).

~ Addison

The Next 9/11 Won’t Come from a Plane…

America is facing its greatest war threat in more than 80-years. But the next 9/11 won’t come from a plane. It’ll come from something that could wipe the entire continental U.S off the map. That’s why President Trump is secretly fast-tracking this top-secret $2.5 trillion defense initiative. It will make America untouchable. And could create generational wealth for early investors. Click here now to find out how.

P.S.: High debt is a feature of “fiat” money systems. Money printing leads to higher inflation and more money printing. Which, in turn, creates more inflation.

You get the idea. It’s a doom loop.

As you know, that’s why we like gold. Gold holds its intrinsic value in the face of inflation. You can read our report on gold’s historic rise here.

That said, with the stock market back to all-time highs and many headline fears disappearing, gold is likely to take a breather this summer… and give you a chance to buy in at a discount. Keep an eye out.

As always, your reader feedback is welcome: feedback@greyswanfraternity.com (We read all emails. Thanks in advance for your contribution.)

Last week, the total debt in the U.S. topped $37 trillion.

Of course, that debt doesn’t include what’s owed on transfer programs – think Social Security and Medicare. The real numbers without the accounting gimmickry are far worse.

But the U.S. isn’t alone. Surging debt levels are a global issue. Total world debt has topped $300 trillion:

Turn Your Images On

Total debt has been soaring at an unsustainable rate for nearly 30 years.

That makes America’s debt look piddling by comparison – a mere 12.3% of the total. It’s a global crisis waiting to happen.

But that’s not the issue as the Senate debates the “big, beautiful bill” ahead of the 4th of July holiday weekend.

After a spike during the pandemic, U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio is still over 120% – and climbing again.

Historically, no country that crossed the 130% debt-to-GDP ratio has been able to survive long enough to “grow its way out” of a debt crisis.

Therein lies the tension. The Trump Reset formula requires an extension of his first-term tax cuts, low and fair tariffs… and low interest rates.

~ Addison

The Next 9/11 Won’t Come from a Plane…

P.S.: High debt is a feature of “fiat” money systems. Money printing leads to higher inflation and more money printing. Which, in turn, creates more inflation.

You get the idea. It’s a doom loop.

As you know, that’s why we like gold. Gold holds its intrinsic value in the face of inflation. You can read our report on gold’s historic rise here.

As always, your reader feedback is welcome: feedback@greyswanfraternity.com (We read all emails. Thanks in advance for your contribution.)

Since the US confiscation of Russian assets in 2022, pretty much every pull back to 50-day moving average (red line) has been bought, and they continue to be bought. The average is now flattening out, as you would expect with this summer consolidation, rather as it did late last year. Some sideways consolidation is good. Ideally, you want to see the short-, medium- and long-term moving averages all flatten and converge. There often follows a big move higher.

We know many consumers continue to live paycheck to paycheck. After spiking higher, the drawdown in savings—cash that can be used in an emergency—is back to pre-pandemic levels.

While the overall debt picture is ugly, in some ways it isn’t – and that it may take some more time for a debt crisis to reach a kitchen countertop near you.

As we knock off for the week approaching mid-summer, it strikes us how hard it is to distinguish signal from noise. Markets defying gravity gives us pause.

Don’t buy in at elevated prices.

Keep your asset allocation in full view.

Buy cheap.

Sell dear.

It’s a funny old world, isn’t it?

AI is buying engineers like they’re first-round picks. The military is investing in rare earths like it’s the 1950s space race. Tariffs are flying, cocoa’s getting scarce, and your cereal may soon come with a luxury markup.

None of it, likely, concerns your portfolio.

This new wave of tokenized shares is exciting. It has the potential to break down walls and democratize access to pre-IPO giants.

But at the moment, it’s also risky, opaque, and largely unregulated.

So while we applaud the innovation, we urge caution — especially if you’re being offered something that seems too good to be true.