Bridgewater's Dalio Warns U.S. Civil War Risk Rising, Advises Gold Allocation Increase

Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio warned on Monday, January 26 that the U.S. faces escalating internal conflict risks following recent ICE shootings in Minnesota, accelerating the nation’s decline. Dalio described the U.S. as a "powder keg" and cautioned that political polarization and financial instability could trigger civil war or systemic collapse. Dalio reiterated concerns over the $38 trillion national debt nearing monetary disorder thresholds and advised investors to diversify into gold, recommending allocations of 5–15%. He noted recent European selling of U.S. Treasuries and surging gold/silver prices as signs of declining global confidence. Dalio stated the U.S. is in the "fifth stage" of his cycle theory—characterized by financial stress and internal conflict—and risks progressing to stage six: full-blown collapse.