In this wide-ranging conversation, natural resource investor Rick Rule, president and CEO of Rule Investment Media and co-founder of Battle Bank, shares his macro outlook, warning that the global economy is weaker than most believe. He explains why he sold 80% of his physical silver after its run from $20 to $75 — and redeployed half into silver mining equities where he sees better leverage if prices hold. Rick breaks down the stark math behind America's $160 trillion in combined liabilities versus $167 trillion in total private net worth, arguing that a "dishonest default" through inflation is inevitable. He shares his framework for knowing when to sell, discusses the coming AI disruption to white-collar jobs, offers his candid views on the Fed and taxation, and provides an update on Battle Bank's national rollout after a 54-month regulatory journey.

This episode is brought to you by VanEck.

Learn more about the VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF: http://vaneck.com/REMXJulia

Timestamps:

0:00 Welcome back Rick Rule

0:47 Macro outlook: Global economy weaker than people think

3:19 Precious metals are "absolutely screaming"

4:14 Silver update: The coiled spring has sprung

5:16 What's driving the gold price

6:40 US debt: $160 trillion in liabilities vs $167 trillion net worth

9:48 Honest default vs dishonest default

11:00 Why CPI understates real inflation

13:22 What would fix this? (Hint: Nothing politically viable)

15:29 Where could gold go from here

16:37 Warning: Expect 30-50% drawdowns in this bull market

18:23 Is gold and silver still contrarian?

19:16 Why Rick sold 80% of his physical silver

20:47 Redeploying into silver mining equities

21:57 Rick's investment memo framework

24:00 Silver equities: The leverage opportunity

26:44 Wealth taxes and the nature of taxation

29:52 The New York City socialist experiment

33:35 How we fixed it in the 1970s — five lessons

37:34 Innovation as the way out

38:36 "Take care of yourself — society won't be able to"

42:29 Thoughts on the Federal Reserve

44:45 What would free market interest rates look like

46:56 Signs the economy is deteriorating

49:53 AI and the coming white-collar disruption

54:09 AI: "Greatest memory, no common sense"

55:09 Battle Bank update

58:08 Closing

Your Morality Teacher | Dr. Tara Ceranic Salinas, Prof of Business Ethics & Chair of Mgmt Dept, Knauss School of Business