Trump Accounts can be ‘antidote’ to socialism by teaching young Americans about capitalism: Treasury official

A Trump administration official is touting the recently launched Trump Accounts as a means to boost young Americans’ financial literacy and appreciation for capitalism by giving them experience that draws them away from “poisonous ideologies” such as socialism.

Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould spoke at a planning meeting for the Financial Literacy and Education Commission on Tuesday and said in remarks reviewed exclusively by FOX Business that Trump Accounts can help Americans understand how the financial system and markets work, showing the benefits of capitalism.

“When Americans understand how our financial system works, they are better equipped to save for the future, protect themselves from fraud, and fully participate in the greatest economy in the world,” he said. “For Americans to believe in capitalism, they need the opportunity to participate in it.”

“If financial illiteracy leads to socialism and other poisonous ideologies proliferating on college campuses and in certain cities, Trump Accounts can be the antidote, minting a generation of capitalists who believe in America, build wealth, invest in their communities, and own a share in our nation’s economic success,” Gould added.

WHAT ARE THE INVESTMENT OPTIONS FOR TRUMP ACCOUNTS?

Trump Accounts were created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year and were formally launched on July 4. 

The initiative creates tax-advantaged investment savings accounts for eligible children, with those born between 2025 and 2028 given $1,000 in seed money from the federal government. Parents and guardians may contribute up to $5,000 per year to the accounts belonging to their children, while a parent’s employer can contribute up to $2,500 annually without impacting the employee’s taxable income.

Funds in Trump Accounts may be invested into low-cost index funds with broad, diversified exposure to the U.S. stock market. 

Over time, proponents of Trump Accounts note that strategy could yield significant returns for Trump Account beneficiaries based on the historical performance of the U.S. stock market.

GOLDMAN SACHS TO CONTRIBUTE $1,000 TO TRUMP ACCOUNTS FOR ELIGIBLE CHILDREN OF EMPLOYEES

An analysis by the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) found that based on historical average returns on the U.S. stock market, funds invested in Trump Accounts could grow into a substantial nest egg by the time a child turns 18, depending on how much is contributed over time. The funds could then be used to help pay for education expenses, a down payment on a home, or a jump start on retirement savings.

CEA found that if maximum contributions are made to an account belonging to a child born in 2026, the account balance would reach $303,800 by age 18 and $1,091,900 by age 28 in a medium-returns scenario. 

In a low-returns scenario with maximum contributions, balances would be $187,400 by age 18 and $772,200 by age 28; while in CEA’s high-returns illustration, the balances would be $730,400 by age 18 and $1,904,300 by age 28.

If no contributions are made to a Trump Account belonging to a child born in 2026 beyond the $1,000 seed money from the government, the account balance would reach $5,800 by the time they turn 18, with continued compounding growth taking that total to $18,100 by age 28 in CEA’s medium-returns scenario.

HERE’S HOW MUCH TRUMP ACCOUNT BALANCES COULD GROW OVER TIME

Ahead of the program’s official launch, the Treasury Department unveiled the default exchange-traded fund (ETF) that is available to investors now – as well as four other ETF options that will be added to the accounts as alternatives.

The default investment option is the State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM), which is a low-cost ETF that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. 

Treasury explained it provides broad exposure to the U.S. stock market and has a low fee structure that’s well below the expense ratio limit of 0.1% that was established by law.

Four other low-cost ETFs that track broad indexes will be added to the Trump Accounts lineup of investment options:

• iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV)
• Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI)
• State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF (SPTM)
• iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT)

Treasury indicated at the time of the announcement that it expected the functionality for additional investment options to roll out in the coming months, which would let parents or guardians allocate funds across the additional options.