Key Takeaways
- Total U.S. public debt outstanding stood near $39.93 trillion.
- Kiyosaki cited $10,000 gold and $200 silver forecasts.
- He identified silver as his preferred metal for August.
Robert Kiyosaki Favors Silver as Federal Debt Approaches $40 Trillion
Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki urged followers to consider their response to rising federal debt in an Aug. 15 post on X, while highlighting ambitious precious-metals forecasts. His remarks arrived as investors assessed inflation, fiscal policy, and whether scarce assets could preserve purchasing power more effectively than cash.
Kiyosaki stated:
“$40 TRILLION US NATIONAL soon!! Q: What are you doing about it?”
The U.S. Treasury’s Debt to the Penny dataset placed total public debt outstanding at approximately $39.93 trillion on Aug. 13. That total comprised about $32.20 trillion held by the public and $7.73 trillion in intragovernmental holdings, leaving the headline figure roughly $65.18 billion below $40 trillion.
The famous author added:
“Friends who are much smarter than me, such as Jim Rickards are predicting $200 an ounce for silver and $10,000 an ounce gold soon. Of the two… I think silver is the best choice in August 2026.”
Kiyosaki offered no timetable or supporting calculation for either target. Rickards’ $10,000 gold forecast placed gold at that level before the end of 2026 and cited central bank demand, constrained supply, and broader institutional buying.
Silver Emerges as Kiyosaki’s August Preference
Kiyosaki identified silver as his preferred choice between the two metals for August, though the metal trades far below that target. Silver changed hands near $65.33 an ounce on Aug. 15, roughly a third of $200, and above $121 reached on Jan. 29. His call extends a position documented in December, when he predicted silver could reach $200 in 2026 and linked higher prices with currency erosion and inflation risks.
The renowned author has maintained his metals outlook through sharp price movements, treating declines as opportunities to increase his holdings. In July, he backed a bullish gold and silver outlook after both metals recorded steep retracements, while acknowledging that additional volatility could precede any sustained advance.
Gold’s direction remains sensitive to several competing forces, including interest rates, currency movements, geopolitical risks, and investor demand. The World Gold Council’s second-quarter Gold Demand Trends report, published July 30, outlined conditions that could support the metal, while recognizing that stronger economic growth, elevated yields or a firmer dollar could restrain performance.
Debt Warning Extends Kiyosaki’s Long-Running Cash Criticism
Rising federal borrowing has remained central to Kiyosaki’s criticism of government finances and conventional savings. In June, he questioned how heavy taxation coexists with mounting debt, connecting federal spending with his preference for gold, silver, and bitcoin over assets tied directly to government-issued currency.
Inflation reduces the purchasing power of money and savings when prices rise faster than returns on cash holdings, although federal debt growth does not automatically produce proportional consumer inflation. Broader price levels reflect multiple forces, including monetary conditions, consumer demand, supply disruptions, wage growth, and expectations about future costs.
Kiyosaki stressed:
“Savers of cash are the BIGGEST LOSERS!!!!”
Market Data Shows What the Forecasts Would Require
Gold would need to more than double from current levels to reach Rickards’ $10,000 target. The metal traded near $4,365 an ounce on Aug. 14. Gold averaged $4,506.29 per ounce in the second quarter, up 37% from a year earlier, while central banks purchased 288.9 metric tons and gold exchange-traded funds recorded 44.8 metric tons of outflows.
Silver faces a different supply-demand picture as investment demand strengthens while industrial consumption softens. The Silver Institute’s World Silver Survey 2026, published April 15, forecasts coin and net bar demand climbing 18% to 257.6 million ounces this year, from 217.7 million in 2025. Industrial demand is projected to ease a further 3%, with photovoltaic consumption falling 19% to 151.0 million ounces.
Global silver supply is projected to contract 2% in 2026, with mine production holding roughly flat after reaching 846.6 million ounces last year. The market is still expected to post a 46.3 million-ounce deficit, its sixth consecutive annual shortfall. Those conditions could support prices, but they do not establish that silver will reach $200.
