Podcast Summary: The REAL David Knight Show

Episode: INTERVIEW: What Happens to Money in 2025?
Host: David Knight
Guest: Tony Arterburn
Date: January 2, 2025

Overview

In this insightful episode, David Knight welcomes returning guest Tony Arterburn—veteran precious metals dealer, entrepreneur, and astute observer of both financial and geopolitical trends—for a wide-ranging discussion about the future of money in 2025. The conversation digs into the fate of the U.S. dollar, gold, bitcoin, the role of central banks, and the far-reaching political implications of America’s monetary crisis. Both Knight and Arterburn bring a blend of historical perspective, skepticism toward official narratives, and a sense of humor to the analysis, offering listeners a blend of hard finance, political critique, and spiritual wisdom as they brace for a turbulent year.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State of the Financial System and 2025 Outlook

• Hacked Treasury & Systemic Vulnerabilities

  • The episode opens with a wry discussion about the recent hacking of the U.S. Treasury. Knight jokes about the irony, suggesting the U.S. government has done more damage to itself than any foreign agent could ([01:47]).
  • “If it was the Chinese, joke’s on them because we’ve already done the damage to our financial system ourselves.” – Tony ([02:26])

• Debt, Inflation, and the Dollar’s Decline

  • Tony underscores the unsustainable and accelerating trajectory of U.S. debt, noting Trump’s push to remove the debt ceiling and a national debt now increasing by about $1 trillion every 100 days ([03:04]).
  • The weakening of the dollar is a central theme:
    • "The dollar is going to continue to lose purchasing power... We are reliant on the creation of cheap fiat currency to maintain this system, and that's the fatal flaw." – Tony ([03:04])
  • Both agree government spending and central bank policies make meaningful fiscal reform impossible in the current system.

2. Gold, Silver & Historic Value

• Gold as a Store of Value

  • Tony points out that gold has preserved purchasing power across a century, unlike the rapidly depreciating dollar. He calls gold and silver “a storage of energy, work and time that maintains its value” ([07:56]).
  • Historical anecdotes (e.g., the price of records in the 1960s) illustrate how fiat currency erodes over time, further strengthening the case for precious metals.

• Silver Price Suppression & Reserve Assets

  • Tony notes that silver prices are artificially low given supply deficits, and that gold’s elevation to a Tier 1 reserve asset by the Bank of International Settlements has made it rival the dollar as a preferred global reserve ([09:00 – 10:10]).

• The World Moving Away from Dollar Hegemony

  • Tony warns the de-dollarization trend is picking up speed, as global dollar reserves have dropped from about 73% in 2001 to below 55% ([07:56]).

3. Bitcoin & Crypto: Hype vs Reality

• Bitcoin’s Trajectory and Institutional Adoption

  • Knight and Tony discuss the volatility of bitcoin, with Tony predicting a generally upward trend but dismissing wild “million dollar bitcoin” predictions. He views institutional moves (e.g., ETFs, Larry Fink) as efforts to mainstream digital assets, but warns of pump-and-dump scenarios ([03:04], [19:07]).
  • "I don't get on these hype trains. I think that's a dangerous thing to promise people what the price is going to be…" – Tony ([20:30])

• Bitcoin vs. CBDCs and Government Control

  • Tony is skeptical bitcoin will become a reserve currency for the U.S. anytime soon, though smaller nations may adopt it first ([14:36]).
  • Central banks and the political class remain firmly opposed to truly decentralized assets:
    • “The opposition of bitcoin coming from central banksters is going to be very strong. It'll filter into our politics.” – Tony ([15:51])
  • Knight warns that regulatory moves around bitcoin may be a diversion paving the way for a “de facto CBDC”—digital money that functions as surveillance money, even if not branded as such ([19:07], [23:21]).

• Tokenization, Stablecoins & Regulatory Capture

  • “They got everybody looking at bitcoin... while they do something very nefarious on the side with this stuff and kind of come in as a de facto CBDC.” – David ([19:07])
  • Both highlight the importance of banning not just “CBDC” as a term, but the features that make it dangerous: surveillance, programmability, digital ID, loss of privacy ([23:21]).

4. Politics, Partisanship & Economic Policy

• Tribal Partisanship and Fiscal Amnesia

  • Tony and David criticize the tendency of both right and left to "go to sleep" when their team is in power, referencing unfulfilled promises during Trump’s previous term ([24:38]).

• Tariffs, Economic Nationalism & Global Fallout

  • Tony describes Trump's tariff proposals as incoherent when paired with a weaker dollar policy ([27:44]).
  • "That's just an incoherent, schizophrenic economic policy to say that we want a weaker dollar, but we want high tariffs." – Tony ([29:45])
  • They warn tariffs could trigger a significant global economic crisis, especially given the hollowed-out U.S. production base and consumption-focused economy ([26:05]).

5. Practical Advice & The Launch of Wise Wolf Bitcoin

• Tony previews “Wise Wolf Bitcoin,” a new platform for seamlessly swapping bitcoin and precious metals without fees ([20:30], [32:48]). He stresses the importance of working with trustworthy, transparent brokers vs. faceless exchanges.
• Tony: “We're going to be the first no-fee broker in America. If you want to turn your bitcoin into gold or silver, you can get with us directly and there’s no fee.” ([20:30])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On US Debt and Currency:

  • “Trump’s calling for the removal of the debt ceiling… So the dollar is going to have to be weakened in order to inflate their way out of all the fiscal damage…” – Tony ([03:04])

• On Precious Metals vs Fiat:

  • “Gold is always going to retain some sort of value… Gold buys the same amount of land, crude oil, clothing and groceries that it did a hundred years ago.” – Tony ([03:04])

• On Bitcoin Maximalism:

  • “I do see a continual trend upward as far as the dollar is concerned. And that’s because we have a weaker dollar.” – Tony ([03:04])

• On Central Bank Control:

  • “Don't forget who runs this country... it’s the people behind the scenes. And especially in a world of central banking control and fiat currency, it’s even worse…” – Tony ([15:51])

• On CBDCs:

  • “They're going to rebrand a lot of it, but the danger lies in the volatility of the markets themselves. What goes on with crypto... I trust bitcoin's network, but I don't trust the people that are trying to hijack it.” – Tony ([22:47])

• On False Security in Politics:

  • “When we perceive a win, you just lay down your arms and then figure... I'm going to go to sleep for four years, and then you wake up to a lockdown. And then there's President Fauci.” – Tony ([24:38])

• On Tariff Policy:

  • "You want two things that are diametrically opposed. You want a weaker dollar, and then you want to have high tariffs. Well, that doesn't work." – Tony ([29:45])

• On Economic Change:

  • “The world’s dumping [the dollar], and it’s dumping it rapidly… All these things are unsustainable.” – Tony ([07:56])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:47 – 03:04: Opening: Treasury hack, government self-destruction, setup for financial chaos in 2025
• 03:04 – 07:56: Gold, bitcoin, inflation, declining purchasing power of the dollar
• 07:56 – 10:10: Gold/silver’s role, price suppression, global movement from dollar to gold
• 12:22 – 15:11: History lesson: Ford, gold legalization, fiat currency lifespans, and U.S. corporate debt
• 14:36 – 22:47: Bitcoin’s reserve currency potential, ETF institutionalization, central bank resistance, CBDCs & rebranding
• 20:30 – 22:47: Tony announces Wise Wolf Bitcoin, fee-free bitcoin/gold/silver swap
• 23:21 – 24:38: Dangers of regulatory capture, the “CBDC by another name” threat
• 24:38 – 26:05: Partisan politics, the Great Reset, central banks remonetizing debt
• 26:05 – 32:17: Tariff policies, globalization, incoherence in U.S. economic policy, risks of weaponizing the dollar
• 32:48 – 34:21: Wise Wolf Bitcoin project details, philosophy of personal financial sovereignty
• 34:21 – End: Light banter, parting thoughts, Tony’s upcoming projects

Tone & Style

The episode blends frank skepticism of government, a measured sense of financial pessimism, and dark humor. Both host and guest offer historical context, cite economics and personal anecdotes, and encourage critical thinking about mainstream narratives and partisan politics.

Final Thoughts

Knight and Arterburn leave listeners with a sobering, actionable message: 2025 is likely to bring greater financial unrest and monetary upheaval. Protecting yourself means understanding the underlying risks of fiat currency, avoiding partisan complacency, and seeking tangible stores of value such as gold and (with caution) bitcoin. As Arterburn puts it: “In a world of bulls and bears, be the wolf.” ([35:43])

For further information or to follow up with Tony’s programs:

• Wise Wolf Bitcoin launching soon (details in the episode: [20:30], [32:48])
• “In a world of bulls and bears, be the wolf.”
• DavidKnight.gold for gold/silver programs and insights