(The Center Square)–In the wake of repeated comments from Elon Musk calling non-governmental organizations “one of the biggest sources of fraud in the world,” the House Department of Government Efficiency subcommittee held a hearing Wednesday further exploring the nature of their relationship to the government.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., called NGOs the “fifth branch of government” in her opening remarks.
“If the permanent bureaucracy is the de facto fourth branch of the government, then these leftist NGOs are the fifth,” Greene said.
Non-governmental organizations are non-profits that typically focus on addressing social, humanitarian, environmental or economic development issues, sometimes internationally.
Their missions are often government-adjacent and often contract with the government to carry out government programs, while still operating independently, they’re referred to as “non-governmental.”
However, Greene highlighted that NGOs can receive most – sometimes, nearly all – of their funding from government grants or contracts and then individuals within that organization can donate to the political campaigns of the party that helped secure their funding.
“The scheme works in a cycle… Democrat administration officials work with leftist NGOs to implement programs in a manner that ensures those NGOs receive massive grants and contracts. The leaders of those recipient groups then turn around and donate to Democrat political campaigns,” Greene said.
And because they often work so closely with the government, NGOs can significantly influence federal agency policies and practices.
“Federal agencies fund the NGOs, and the NGOs shape the agency’s behavior. It can be hard to tell, to tell where the government ends and the NGO begins. The nonprofits essentially serve as an arm of the government,” Greene said.
The end of the cycle is completed by political appointees who leave government work or are pushed out through administration changes who then go to work for one of the NGOs they partnered with in government. They then donate their “cushy salary to campaigns,” according to Greene.
However, because NGOs aren’t government entities, they’re not subject to the same kind of oversight or accountability as government agencies.
Diane Yentel, president of the National Council of Nonprofits, testified in defense of NGOs. Despite non-profits providing help to “all Americans” of “every political persuasion,” Yentel said that non-profits are being targeted by the Trump administration for political reasons.
“Across the country, nonprofits are having federal funding slashed or eliminated,” Yentel said, “due to arbitrary cuts of congressionally approved spending.”
“There are repeated threats against nonprofits that hold views that don’t align with this administration from statements calling for the illegal, unilateral revoking of their tax-exempt status, to attempted takeovers, audits and even threats of civil or criminal investigations by the federal government, not for any wrongdoing, but for doing work at odds with the administration’s ideology,” Yentel continued.
Ranking committee member Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said that the Trump administration was “withholding a half trillion dollars illegally” from nonprofits, as federal funding freezes, DOGE-driven contract cuts and other executive actions have directly impacted nonprofits.
“The truth is simple, neither the president nor any other executive branch official has the power to unilaterally revoke an organization’s tax exempt status or to use these authoritarian tactics to try to intimidate our nonprofit and civil society organizations,” Stansbury said.
The president has threatened to revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status and has questioned the tax-exempt status of other organizations.
Stansbury maintained in her closing remarks that the administration is trying to justify illegal action against nonprofits it disagrees with politically, and Greene contended that Democrats have used the lack of oversight NGOs have to enrich friends and accomplish illicit activity.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.