this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2026
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Germany is facing calls to withdraw its billions of euros’ worth of gold from US vaults, spurred on by the shift in transatlantic relations and the unpredictability of Donald Trump.

Germany holds the world’s second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately €164bn (£122bn) worth – 1,236 tonnes – is stored in New York.

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[–] user81720483@feddit.org 3 points 9 hours ago

Trump: "Which gold?"

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 6 points 10 hours ago

The US cannot be trusted any more.

[–] bikooo2@r.nf 4 points 10 hours ago

Hay un dicho en español que dice: Sardina que se lleva el gato, ya no vuelve al plato.

[–] cronenthal@discuss.tchncs.de 34 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I wish the process of repatriating the gold would have been discreetly started already. Now, it might lead to a crisis straight away, since obviously Trump would not just let go of it.

[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 22 points 1 day ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

Silverlinings: Trump putting a hard stop capital control will instantly shake the world out of it's stupor of normalcy. It would set all foreign capital into a panic and the value of USD would drop and the foreign holdings of debt and equities would stop, drop and roll.

Most of the biggest collective investors are pensions and insurance corps and they are legally obligated to buy only safe assets. Nothing about this administration is safe. Now the pressure on rating agencies would be enourmous to lie and say they are "safe" when that would just destroy their credibility. Memories of the 2008 bloodbath come to mind, but this time, no global coordination of a response.

Saying no to Germany's gold now would only start a massive financial shitshow of increadible speed and destruction.

[–] Kjell@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

I'm thinking that other countries might rush to withdraw their gold even if Germany get their gold. Because Trump might very well say something on social media about how awful Germany is when they are taking back their gold and that he maybe should stop it. Which could trigger other countries since no one will be the last one with large gold reserves in USA.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

You mean a market opportunity?

[–] Foni@lemmy.zip 21 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Is this a joke? Does anyone realistically believe that gold will ever set foot on European soil again?

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 1 points 4 hours ago

"We should give up because there is no hope"

[–] RidderSport@feddit.org 4 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Having the US be forced to admit that the gold isn't there anymore would be even better. That is basically card blanche of leverage. Germany could single handedly strong arm the US into whatever they want lest the US wishes to risk a total collapse of their finances

[–] plyth@feddit.org 1 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

America would have never granted that power if they wouldn't have an even bigger leverage, or trust.

Germany has given space to the US when trading gold in the past:

While West Germany agreed not to purchase gold from the U.S., and agreed to hold dollars instead,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton_Woods_system

[–] Markie84@feddit.org 3 points 1 day ago

Smartass mode on: "again" isn't quite right, because the gold was never in Germany/Europe. It has been in the US since the beginning and has never been anywhere else.

[–] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Foni@lemmy.zip 3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

If by any chance they haven’t spent it all and part of the gold still exists—which is really doubtful—I think they would have to go in there with tanks to be able to get it out, and this is not a Trump-related issue; it has been known for decades that the most likely scenario is that the gold is no longer there.

[–] Anekdoteles@feddit.org 3 points 13 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Foni@lemmy.zip 2 points 10 hours ago

Anyone who is reasonably informed

[–] bungle_in_the_jungle@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago (4 children)

What's the reason their gold is in US vaults in the first place?

[–] HowRu68@lemmy.world 35 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Spread of risk was probably the reason. It is supposed to be the best secured place/ vault in the world. But since the Orange menace...nothing is.

As /u/HowRu68@lemmy.world said, spreading the risk. During the Cold War, there was a real risk of West Germany being overrun within a week in case of an all-out Soviet invasion. In order to prevent all of the gold reserves being lost in that case, Germany chose to store significant parts of it abroad.

[–] Melchior@feddit.org 8 points 1 day ago

Right the gold is mostly in the Federal Reserve in New York. The big advantage of that is, that it is easy to both buy and sell gold from there. Basically the only thing they do, is to change the label and it is done. That is especially true, since it can be easily sold for US dollars, which still is the most important currency in the world.

However I would not be surprised, if a lot of potential buyers, prefer their gold to be in a large vault in Frankfurt over one in New York.

[–] driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

A lot of countries have gold reserves on the US, on the same place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaHkDYJ1Wko

[–] JensSpahnpasta@feddit.org 3 points 1 day ago

That's one of those things the US profits from on which is getting destroyed by Trump. It's a great thing to have other countries conducting their trade with their gold reserves in your currency in your country. Trump is destroying exactly that trust that enabled that and if trust is gone, it's hard to reestablish again

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Sideshow_B00b@lemmy.zip 2 points 11 hours ago

Ja! A German ”Ocean’s Eleven” starring Rolf from Düsseldorf! I’d be first in line to see that one

[–] tired_n_bored@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago
[–] DonAntonioMagino@feddit.nl 3 points 1 day ago

I have some room under my bed, feel free to PM me.