Scott Bessent says America’s Founding Fathers ‘could not have imagined’ today’s economy — how to bet big on the USA

Scott Bessent says America’s Founding Fathers ‘could not have imagined’ today’s economy — how to bet big on the USA Jing Pan Wed, August 12, 2026 at 3:15 PM GMT+2 8 min read Magnus Lejhall/ Getty Images Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. 250 years after America declared its independence, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the economic experiment launched by the country's Founding Fathers has grown into something they could hardly have envisioned. And he believes America's best days may still be ahead.

Must Read Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one JPMorgan still sees gold hitting $5,000/oz by Q4 — and savvy investors are protecting their wealth with a tax-advantaged Gold IRA. Learn more with a free guide from Priority Gold The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028 — and experts say most people won't act in time. What to do before the window closes In a post on X, Bessent invoked some of the biggest names in American history while making a sweeping assessment of where the U.

S. stands today. "Our Founding Fathers—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton—could never have imagined the economy America has built today.

It is the envy of the world," he wrote (1). Accompanying the post was a clip from a recent Trump cabinet meeting, where Bessent similarly said America's founders "could not have imagined" the level of prosperity the nation enjoys today. Bessent also echoed Trump's assertion that record investment is pouring into the country, crediting Trump's policies for helping drive the economy forward.

"Thanks to President Trump's leadership—from digital assets and technological innovation to restoring American manufacturing—we are pulling away from the rest of the world," he said. It's a bold claim. But there is some economic data to back up Bessent's optimism.

America already has the world's largest economy by GDP. And the International Monetary Fund (2) expects the U. S.

economy to grow 2. 3% in 2026, well ahead of its 0. 9% forecast for the euro area, 1.

0% for the U. K. and 0.

6% for Japan. The IMF specifically pointed to continued technology-related business investment and productivity strength as factors supporting the U. S.

economy. America's private economy has also shown considerable momentum. Real final sales to private domestic purchasers — a measure of consumer spending and private fixed investment — jumped at a 3.

9% (3) annual rate in the second quarter. Corporate earnings provide another sign of strength. Of the S&P 500 companies that have reported second-quarter results so far, 86% (4) have beaten Wall Street's earnings-per-share expectations, while the blended year-over-year earnings growth rate stands at 50.

4%. Story Continues Still, whether America is truly "pulling away" depends heavily on the comparison. Developing economies such as China and India, for instance, are expected to grow faster than the U.

S. this year, according to the IMF. But if Bessent's broader thesis proves correct — that technology investment, reshoring and American innovation will keep the U.

S. economy ahead of its peers — investors may want to make sure their portfolios are positioned to participate. Betting on America The U.

S. economy has long been a powerful engine of wealth creation — a point investing legend Warren Buffett has repeatedly emphasized. "For 240 years it's been a terrible mistake to bet against America, and now is no time to start," Buffett wrote (5) in his 2015 letter to shareholders.

"America's golden goose of commerce and innovation will continue to lay more and larger eggs. " That conviction has also shaped Buffett's long-term faith in U. S.

stocks. "American business – and consequently a basket of stocks – is virtually certain to be worth far more in the years ahead," he wrote (6) in another shareholder letter. And you don't have to figure out which technology company, manufacturer or financial stock will come out on top to participate in America's long-term growth.

Buffett has famously said (7) that his investing advice is simply 'buy a cross-section of America. ' Indeed, a diversified portfolio can spread your money across many companies, reducing your dependence on the fortunes of any single stock. If you prefer a hands-off, tech-forward approach to building wealth, Vanguard's Digital Advisor puts the investing expertise of one of the world's largest asset managers right at your fingertips.

It takes the guesswork out of investing by building a personalized portfolio for you using Vanguard's well-known low-cost ETFs and mutual funds — then keeps things running smoothly with automatic rebalancing. The platform also offers guidance on saving for retirement and lets you set additional goals as your life evolves. It can even help you think through debt repayment strategies, potentially freeing up more cash to invest toward your long-term plans.

With a minimum investment of just $100 , it's an easy way to get started with professionally guided investing. For every $10,000 in an all-index portfolio, you'll pay approximately $15 to $16 per year. * You can even test-drive the Vanguard experience with no advisory fees for the first 90 days.

* All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. For investors who want to identify the companies best positioned to benefit from the forces Bessent highlighted — from artificial intelligence and advanced technology to the rebuilding of America's industrial base — research tools like Moby can come in handy. Their team of former hedge fund analysts does the heavy lifting — breaking down the market, flagging quality stocks, and making the research easy to digest.

In fact, across nearly 400 stock picks over the past four years, Moby's recommendations have beaten the S&P 500 by almost 12% on average. Their research keeps you up-to-the-minute on market shifts, and takes the guesswork out of choosing investments. Plus, their reports are easy to understand for beginners, so you can become a smarter investor in just five minutes .

Read More: Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going Build wealth through US real estate Beyond stocks, real estate has long been another cornerstone of wealth-building in America. In fact, Buffett often points to real estate when explaining what a productive, income-generating asset looks like.

In 2022, Buffett stated (8) that if you offered him "1% of all the apartment houses in the country" for $25 billion, he would "write you a check. " Why? Because regardless of what's happening in the broader economy, people still need a place to live and apartments can consistently produce rent money.

Real estate also offers a built-in hedge against inflation. When inflation rises, property values often increase as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land. At the same time, rental income tends to go up, providing landlords with a revenue stream that adjusts with inflation.

Of course, you don't need $25 billion — or even to buy a single property outright — to invest in real estate. Crowdfunding platforms like mogul offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class. As a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties , mogul gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 a.

m. tenant calls. Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors , the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you.

In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost. Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.

8%. Offerings often sell out in under three hours , with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property. Sign up for an account and browse available properties here to start investing today.

Another option is Lightstone DIRECT , which gives accredited investors access to single-asset multifamily and industrial deals. Lightstone DIRECT's direct-to-investor model ensures a high degree of alignment between individual investors and a vertically-integrated, institutional owner-operator — a sophisticated and streamlined option for individual investors looking to diversify into private-market real estate. With Lightstone DIRECT, accredited individuals can access the same multifamily and industrial assets Lightstone pursues with its own capital, with minimum investments starting at $100,000.

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Subscribe now . Article Sources We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines .

X ( 1 ); International Monetary Fund ( 2 ); Bureau of Economic Analysis ( 3 ); FactSet ( 4 ); Berkshire Hathaway ( 5 ), ( 6 ); CNBC ( 7 ), ( 8 ) This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.