When President Donald Trump Signed an Executive Order Establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR), He Ordered David Sacks to Assemble a Team and Plan

Sacks’ top appointee, Executive Director of the President's Council of Advisers Bo Hines, thinks one mechanism for buying BTC is selling gold.

President Donald Trump's administration is exploring options for acquiring bitcoin (BTC) for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR), which Trump announced in an executive order last month.

One proposal under consideration is selling a portion of the US government's gold reserves to fund the purchase of BTC, according to an official in the President’s Council of Advisers.

The claim that the US should sell its gold sparked immediate debate. Not only does gold have over 5,000 years of history as a sovereign store of value, the metal is a dominant asset on central bankers’ balance sheets.

However, U.S. President Donald J. Trump could attempt to claim authority to sell gold to buy BTC without passing additional laws.

The administration is also considering three avenues for obtaining BTC without direct Congressional authorization.

Congress could authorize the administration to buy 1 million BTC

The first method for the legal acquisition of sovereign BTC is democratically clear: Congressional authorization. In the U.S., Congress approves the federal budget and has constitutional authority to allocate resources.

One bill among many that is slowly working its way through Congress, Senator Cynthia Lummis' (R-Wyoming) Bitcoin Act of 2025, would mandate the U.S. to obtain 1 million BTC. That bill specifically calls for the sale of gold to fund a substantial amount of the purchases.

Lummis's legislation is part of a broader effort in Congress to craft legislation governing the use of cryptocurrencies in the U.S. The House Financial Services Committee has already advanced a bill that would create a new regulatory framework for stablecoins.

Lummis's bill, which is pending in the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, would require the U.S. to buy 1 million BTC over a five-year period. The bill would also create a new commission to study the potential impact of a U.S. sovereign cryptocurrency.

"The U.S. government has a long history of investing in assets to preserve value, and bitcoin is the best performing asset class of the past decade," Lummis said in a statement. "It's time for the U.S. to diversify its reserves and begin holding some bitcoin."

Several other members of Congress have introduced legislation related to cryptocurrency this year. In April, Rep. Tim Draper (R-Ohio) introduced legislation that would allow Americans to pay their taxes in bitcoin.

The administration is mindful of the need for bipartisan support in Congress for any plan to sell gold to buy BTC.

"We are exploring all options for how to best acquire bitcoin for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve," a White House official said. "We appreciate the input of members of Congress on this important issue."

The administration's consideration of selling gold to buy BTC comes amid a broader debate in the U.S. over the role of the dollar in the global monetary system.

Some economists have argued that the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency gives the U.S. an unfair advantage. Others have said that the dollar's dominance is a natural consequence of the strength of the U.S. economy and its institutions.

The administration is reportedly considering selling gold to buy BTC as a way to diversify the U.S. government's assets and hedge against inflation.

Gold has traditionally been viewed as a store of value, while bitcoin is often touted for its scarcity and potential as an inflation hedge.

However, both assets are known for their volatility, which could pose challenges for the administration as it seeks to acquire BTC for the SBR.

The executive order that Trump signed last month tasked David Sacks, a former president of the Startup founders Circle and a founding partner of the Union Square Ventures, to assemble a team and plan to buy bitcoin for the nation.

Sacks’ top appointee, Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisers Bo Hines, thinks one mechanism for buying BTC is selling gold.

The claim that the U.S. should sell its gold sparked immediate debate. Not only does gold have over 5,000 years of history as a sovereign store of value, the metal is a dominant asset on central bankers’ balance sheets.

"It's ironic that central bankers are now discussing buying bitcoin, yet they've never sold any gold to buy equities or bonds in the modern era," said an official in the President’s Council of Advisers.

"We may be able to learn from prior U.S. experience in the 1930s. At the time, the administration sold 700 tons of gold to stabilize the dollar during the Great Depression. We can also consider selling some gold to buy bitcoin, which would be a budget-neutral move."

Yes, the U.S. government may legally sell gold for bitcoin

There are at least three methods by which the Trump administration could acquire BTC for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

The first method is democratically clear: Congressional authorization. In