Washington, D.C., Aug. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Former CIA and Pentagon advisor Jim Rickards unveils what he calls “the most underestimated advantage America still holds” — its land.
Not the land under skyscrapers or tech campuses, but the forgotten terrain that makes up nearly a third of the U.S. — and remains almost entirely untouched.
“It’s the greatest strategic asset we’ve ignored for half a century.”
The West Wasn’t Won — It Was Shelved
According to Rickards, America’s frontier never disappeared — it was just closed off. Vast stretches of public land, particularly in the West, contain world-class mineral deposits essential for modern technologies, yet have been inaccessible due to decades of red tape.
“Roughly 28% of all U.S. land is federally owned. That’s not a liability — it’s latent power.”
Why the Next Industrial Boom Might Happen in Places You’ve Never Heard Of
Rickards predicts a shift away from traditional financial centers toward new industrial hubs built on top of these resource-rich lands. He calls them “next-gen boomtowns” — areas like Nome, Alaska… the Salton Sea basin in California… and remote parts of Nevada and Arizona.
America’s Geography Is Its Strategy
The presentation emphasizes that no other country in the world has what the U.S. has: massive, mineral-rich lands… the ability to defend and develop them… and the energy capacity to power what comes next.
“Other nations need to import what we already own. That’s the leverage we’ve forgotten.”
From Open Terrain to Economic Engine
Rickards says the shift is already underway — quietly. He highlights recent efforts to fast-track resource development, re-open federal lands, and direct industrial policy toward the interior of the country.
This, he claims, is the beginning of a resource-fueled transformation that could redraw America’s economic map.
About Jim Rickards
Jim Rickards is a national security economist and former advisor to the CIA, U.S. Treasury, and Pentagon. He has helped shape U.S. policy in the areas of crisis response, economic warfare, and energy security. He currently leads Strategic Intelligence, a monthly briefing that analyzes the biggest unseen forces shaping America’s financial future.
CONTACT: Derek Warren Public Relations Manager Paradigm Press Group Email: [email protected]
