Michael Pento, president and founder of Pento Portfolio Strategies (PPS), joins Julia La Roche on episode 268, warning of a coming "grand reconciliation" where credit, stock, and real estate bubbles will burst. He argues the US debt is unsustainable, with the next recession triggering $4-6 trillion annual deficits. Pento predicts Trump will replace Powell with an "obsequious sycophant" in May 2026 who will slash rates to zero, causing long-term rates to spike and creating a "debt death spiral." He recommends hard assets like gold and platinum, which he expects will "scream higher" in 2026, and emphasizes the critical importance of active management to navigate the coming crisis. Sponsors: Monetary Metals: https://monetary-metals.com/julia Kalshi: https://kalshi.com/julia Links: https://pentoport.com/ https://twitter.com/michaelpento 0:00 Intro and welcome Michael 01:01 - Macro picture 06:16 - Grand reconciliation coming: debt, real estate, stocks 11:27 - Case for platinum and gold - platinum breakout 14:32 - Hard assets will "scream higher" in 2026 17:11 - Fed should be defunct - market should set rates 22:08 - Next recession: deficit jumps to $4-6 trillion 25:21 - US debt 32:29 - 2026 34:38 - Next Fed chair will be "obsequious sycophant" 38:03 - Closing remarks
