JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has a stark warning for America — and it centers on President Donald Trump’s escalating confrontation with the Federal Reserve.
“Everyone we know believes in Fed independence … and anything chips away at that is probably not a great idea,” Dimon told reporters on Jan. 13 (1).
His comments came as the Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation into Federal chair Jerome Powell, issuing grand jury subpoenas to the Fed that threaten a possible indictment tied to Powell’s testimony before Congress last summer about cost overruns on the central bank’s headquarters renovation project.
Powell has blasted the move as a “pretext” designed to pressure the Fed into lowering interest rates, arguing it undermines the central bank’s long-standing independence (2).
“The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President,” Powell warned on Sunday.
Dimon echoed that concern, saying political interference could have serious repercussions for the broader economy.
“It will have the reverse consequences. It will raise inflation expectations and probably increase rates over time,” Dimon said, adding, “While I don't agree with everything that the Fed has done, I do have enormous respect for Jay Powell, the man (3).”
Trump quickly dismissed Dimon’s remarks.
On Jan. 13, he told reporters that Dimon “is wrong” and insisted that “it’s fine what I’m doing, we have a bad Fed person (4).”
“We should have lower rates,” Trump added. “Jamie Dimon probably wants higher rates, maybe he makes more money that way.”
The Fed, tasked with maximizing employment and keeping prices stable, lowered its benchmark rate three times in 2025. And while headline inflation has cooled from its 2022 peak, the central bank noted in December that “inflation has moved up since earlier in the year and remains somewhat elevated (5).”
Inflation erodes the purchasing power of money, a reality already eating into Americans’ savings. Since 2020, the U.S. consumer price index has jumped 26% (6). Looking further back is even more sobering: According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, $100 in 2025 buys what just $12.05 did in 1970 (7).
The good news? Savvy investors have long turned to certain assets to help protect their wealth from inflation’s bite, regardless of who’s in charge of the Fed — or the White House.
Gold
Gold has helped people preserve their wealth for thousands of years. Today, its appeal is simple: Unlike fiat currencies, the yellow metal can’t be printed at will by central banks.
It’s also widely regarded as the ultimate safe haven. Gold is not tied to any one country, currency or economy and in times of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty, investors often flock to it — driving prices higher.
Over the past 12 months, gold prices have surged by more than 60%.
Dimon himself has taken note. In October 2025, he said that in this environment, gold could “easily” climb to $10,000 an ounce.
He’s hardly alone. Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, told CNBC last year that “people don't have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,” adding that “when bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier.”
One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold.
Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, thereby combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an option for those looking to help shield their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.
When you make a qualifying purchase with Priority Gold, you can receive up to $10,000 in precious metals for free.
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Real estate
Gold isn’t the only asset investors rely on to preserve their purchasing power. Real estate has also proven to be a powerful hedge.
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 for inflation.
Over the past five years, the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index has jumped by 43%, reflecting strong demand and limited housing supply (8).
Of course, high home prices can make buying a home more challenging, especially with mortgage rates still elevated. And being a landlord isn’t exactly hands-off work — managing tenants, maintenance and repairs can quickly eat into your time (and returns).
The good news? You don’t need to buy a property outright — or deal with leaky faucets — to invest in real estate today. Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.
Backed by world class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100 — all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.
The process is simple: Browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you’d like to purchase and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.
Another option is Lightstone DIRECT, which offers accredited investors access to institutional-quality multifamily and industrial real estate — with a minimum investment of $100,000.
Founded in 1986 by David Lichtenstein, Lightstone Group is one of the largest privately held real estate investment firms in the U.S., with more than $12 billion in assets under management.
Over nearly-four decades, their team has delivered strong, risk-adjusted performance across multiple market cycles — including a 27.5% historical net IRR and a 2.49x historical net equity multiple on realized investments since 2004.
With Lightstone DIRECT, you gain access to that proprietary deal flow.
Here’s the kicker: Lightstone invests at least 20% of its own capital in every deal — roughly four times the industry average. With skin in the game, the firm ensures its interests are directly aligned with those of its investors.
An overlooked alternative asset
Prominent investors like Dalio often stress the importance of diversification — and for good reason. Many traditional assets tend to move in tandem, especially during periods of market stress.
That message feels especially relevant today. Nearly 40% of the S&P 500’s weight is concentrated in its ten largest stocks and the index’s CAPE ratio hasn’t been this high since the dot-com boom.
This is why many investors look beyond the usual mix of stocks and bonds. Alternative assets — from real estate and precious metals to private equity and collectibles — can help reduce risk and broaden a portfolio’s sources of return.
But there’s one store of value that routinely flies under the radar: It’s scarce by design, coveted worldwide and frequently locked away by institutions.
We’re talking about post-war and contemporary art — a category that has outpaced the S&P 500 with low correlation since 1995.
It’s easy to see why art pieces often fetch new highs at auctions: The supply of the best works of art is limited and many of the most desirable pieces have already been snatched up by museums and collectors. That scarcity can also make art an attractive option for investors looking to diversify and preserve wealth during periods of high inflation.
Until recently, purchasing art has been a domain reserved for the ultra-wealthy — like in 2022 when a collection of art owned by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold for $1.5 billion at Christie’s New York, making it the most valuable collection in auction history (9).
Now, Masterworks — a platform for investing in shares of blue-chip artwork by renowned artists, including Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy — can help you get started with this asset class. It’s easy to use and, with 25 successful exits to date, Masterworks has distributed more than $65 million in total proceeds (including principal).
Simply browse their impressive portfolio of paintings and choose how many shares you’d like to buy. Masterworks can handle all the details, making high-end art investments both accessible and effortless.
New offerings have sold out in minutes, but you can skip their waitlist here.
Note that past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. See Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Yahoo!Finance (1); Federal Reserve (2), (5); CNBC (3); @metrotvnews (4); Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (6); Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (7); S&P Global (8); Christie’s (9)
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Jing is an investment reporter for MoneyWise. He is an avid advocate of investing for passive income. Despite the ups and downs he’s been through with the markets, Jing believes that you can generate a steadily increasing income stream by investing in high quality companies.
