A former official in President George H. W. Bush’s administration has made explosive claims that the US government secretly built a massive network of underground “cities” to shelter the wealthy and powerful in the event of a catastrophic global crisis.
Catherine Austin Fitts, who served as assistant secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1989 to 1990, made the allegations in a recent interview on The Tucker Carlson Podcast, claiming the underground system was funded through more than $21 trillion in unauthorised government spending.
Though her claims are unverified, Fitts pointed to research by economist Mark Skidmore of Michigan State University, who in 2017 reported uncovering trillions in unsupported budget adjustments within the Departments of Defense and Housing and Urban Development between 1998 and 2015.
One figure included a staggering $6.5 trillion in adjustments made by the US Army in a single fiscal year.
“I started looking at where the money went and found evidence pointing to the construction of underground bases, city infrastructure, and hidden transportation systems,” Fitts said. “We estimate there could be around 170 such facilities, some even beneath the ocean.”
Fitts alleged the facilities were intended as secure locations for elite shelter in case of a “near-extinction event” but could also support covert government operations, including what she described as a possible “secret space program.”
Tucker Carlson, responding to the claims, added that he had once spoken with a contractor who claimed a transformer box near Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., was actually an emergency exit linked to a hidden government tunnel system.
Fitts also suggested these facilities operate on advanced “breakthrough energy” technologies, asserting, “I’m convinced this energy exists. Some of the ships flying around the planet aren’t using classical electricity.”
While her statements remain uncorroborated, they come at a time of rising interest in luxury survival infrastructure.
In early 2025, Virginia-based firm SAFE (Strategically Armored & Fortified Environments) announced plans to build a $300 million private doomsday bunker named Aerie, offering AI-driven medical care and “wellness” features.
Memberships start at $20 million, and the company says it aims to construct similar bunkers in all 50 states.
SAFE’s founder called Virginia “ground zero for the finest demographic in the world” — fuelling further speculation that elite shelter projects may not be just science fiction.
Whether fact or fantasy, Fitts’ claims have reignited debate over government secrecy, defence budgets, and what lengths those in power might go to when preparing for the worst.
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