Ex-Bush Official Says $21 Trillion in Unaccounted Funds Tied to Alleged Secret Bunker Network

A man speaking at a podium in a dark room.

A former Bush administration official claims the federal government secretly spent $21 trillion building an elaborate underground bunker network designed to shelter elites during catastrophic events.

Key Insights

Catherine Austin Fitts, who served in HUD under President George H.W. Bush, alleges the existence of approximately 170 underground bases built with misappropriated government funds.
Her claims reference economist Mark Skidmore’s 2017 study that identified $21 trillion in unauthorized spending across Defense and Housing departments from 1998-2015.
Known government bunkers include Mount Weather, Cheyenne Mountain, and Raven Rock, but Fitts suggests a much larger network exists, potentially including underwater facilities.
As these allegations surface, a Virginia company has announced plans for commercial luxury bunkers called “Aerie” to be built across all 50 states.

Former Bush Official Makes Explosive Claims

Catherine Austin Fitts, who served as Assistant Secretary of Housing under President George H.W. Bush, has stirred controversy with claims that the U.S. government secretly diverted $21 trillion to construct an extensive underground bunker network. Fitts made these allegations during an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s podcast, suggesting these facilities are designed for elites to survive potential extinction-level events while leaving ordinary Americans vulnerable.

“We systematically went through and tried to estimate… how many underground bases, both underground in the United States, but also underground under the ocean around the United States,” Fitts said during the interview.

Her claims are partially based on research by economist Mark Skidmore, who in 2017 documented approximately $21 trillion in unaccounted government spending between the Departments of Defense and Housing and Urban Development from 1998 to 2015. While Skidmore’s findings identified accounting discrepancies, Fitts takes the conclusion further by suggesting these funds were channeled into a secret underground infrastructure project.

Former Bush Housing Official Claims Government Has Spent $21 Trillion Building an Underground Doomsday ‘Base’ pic.twitter.com/RSoFFRIyyM

— Shadygrooove (@shadygrooove) May 5, 2025

The Alleged Underground Network

According to Fitts, the clandestine project includes roughly 170 underground bases strategically positioned across the United States. Some facilities are allegedly constructed beneath the ocean floor and connected by sophisticated transportation systems. The former housing official claims these bunkers are designed not only as survival shelters but potentially to support classified operations beyond public knowledge.

“Some of it is. It’s preparation for catastrophe.” Fitts told Carlson when discussing the purpose of these alleged facilities.

While the U.S. government maintains several acknowledged underground facilities, including Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center in Virginia, Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado, and Raven Rock Mountain Complex in Pennsylvania, Fitts suggests a far more extensive network exists beyond public knowledge. Mount Weather gained attention when congressional leaders were evacuated there following the September 11 attacks. USA Today has reported ongoing upgrades to this facility, though specific details remain classified.

Advanced Technology Claims

Fitts expanded her allegations to include claims about revolutionary energy technologies allegedly powering these underground installations. During her interview, she suggested these facilities utilize energy systems beyond conventional understanding, potentially connected to classified aerospace programs.

“I’m convinced that this energy exists. If you look at a lot of the really fast ships, flying around the planet, they’re not using classical electricity,” Fitts stated during the podcast.

Carlson expressed skepticism during the interview, noting his understanding that government bunkers were primarily limited to the Washington DC area for nuclear contingency planning. He shared an anecdote about being told of a secret White House escape tunnel disguised as a transformer box on Constitution Avenue, but questioned the existence of a nationwide network as described by Fitts.

Private Sector Follows With Luxury Bunker Plans

As these allegations circulate, a Virginia-based company called SAFE (Strategically Armored & Fortified Environments) has announced plans to construct a $300 million luxury doomsday bunker complex named “Aerie.” The company intends to build similar facilities across all 50 states, marketing them to wealthy individuals concerned about various catastrophic scenarios. These commercial bunkers would reportedly feature AI-powered medical care and wellness programs.

The timing of these commercial bunker announcements alongside Fitts’ claims has fueled public interest in doomsday preparations. While government officials have not directly responded to the allegations about misappropriated funds or secret bunker networks, the historical existence of facilities like the Cold War-era bunker at the Greenbrier resort demonstrates that contingency planning for national leadership has been an ongoing government priority for decades.

Under President Trump’s administration, questions about government transparency and spending continue to be relevant as Americans seek clarity on how their tax dollars are allocated to national security priorities.