E.J. Antoni: 'They Are Tapped Out,' The American Consumer Is Officially Broke

The U.S. economy is built on a mountain of unsustainable debt, and the bill is coming due. According to economist E.J. Antoni, the American consumer is officially "tapped out," and the Federal Reserve is trapped in a corner with only two options: a credit crisis or runaway inflation. In this deep-dive interview, the former nominee to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells Kitco News' Jeremy Szafron that the official jobs data is a "scandal," arguing the BLS has knowingly used flawed models since 2022 to mask weakness in the economy. He breaks down the alarming consumer debt data showing 90% of Americans have burned through their savings and explains why government spending is the "original sin" forcing the Fed's hand. Is the U.S. headed for a reckoning? Antoni lays out the path he believes is inevitable and what it means for your financial future. Recorded on October 30, 2025