President takes victory pose as US stocks soar to fresh all-time highs amid war, oil shocks, inflation: ‘Trust in Trump.’ How to bet on America now

While Trump has often highlighted stock market gains, the resilience this time appears to have caught even him off guard. Just a day before the record close, he told CNBC's Squawk Box that he expected a much steeper pullback.

"I'm looking at where the stock market's up… the numbers are what they were when we started this whole thing," he said, referring to the Iran war (2). "I thought they'd be down 20% or down a very substantial amount. Even when it was down more a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised."

For context, the S&P 500 closed at 6,878.88 on Feb. 27 — the last trading day before the Iran war began. By Wednesday, it had climbed to a record 7,137.90, putting the index firmly above its pre-war level.

Oil prices — another key concern — also came in lower than Trump anticipated. Given how central energy costs are to the broader economy, a sharp spike could have added to inflation pressures.

"If you would have told me that oil is at $90 as opposed to $200, I would be, frankly, surprised," he said, adding that "I thought the oil would be much higher, and I'm very happy to say that it wasn't."

To be sure, oil has moved significantly. Brent crude rose from about $72 per barrel on Feb. 27 to nearly $120 at its peak (3). It later eased to around $90 in mid-April, before climbing back above $100 in recent sessions — still well below the $200 level Trump had feared.

Overall, Trump struck an optimistic tone on equities.

"The market's up. We're going to be at 50,000," he said, referring to the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

With the Dow hovering near 49,400 (4), that milestone is within striking range.

If you share that outlook, there are a few simple ways to position yourself for America's growth in 2026 and beyond.

Betting on America's strength

The U.S. stock market has long been one of the most powerful engines of wealth creation — and many Americans are already tapping into it to build their retirement nest eggs.

That connection hasn't gone unnoticed by Trump, who recently remarked, "the only thing that's really going up big? It's called the stock market and your 401(k)s (5)."

The numbers back that up. The S&P 500 returned about 16% (6) in 2025 and has climbed roughly 70% over the past five years — a powerful run that has helped lift Americans' portfolios along the way.

Those gains have flowed into retirement accounts. According to Fidelity, the average 401(k) balance climbed 11% from a year ago to $146,400 in the fourth quarter of 2025 (7).

Trump has suggested the momentum could continue. Earlier this year, he said the "stock market is going to double in a relatively short period of time (8)."

For investors looking to tap into that growth, one of the simplest approaches is gaining broad exposure through an index fund — a strategy long championed by investing legend Warren Buffett.

Buffett has repeatedly argued that for most people, "the best thing to do is own the S&P 500 index fund (9)." By tracking the index, investors gain exposure to 500 of America's largest companies across a wide range of industries, providing instant diversification without the need for constant monitoring or active trading.

The beauty of this approach is its accessibility — anyone, regardless of wealth, can take advantage of it. Even small amounts can grow over time with tools like Acorns, a popular app that automatically invests your spare change.

Signing up for Acorns takes just minutes: link your cards, and Acorns will round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference — your spare change — into a diversified portfolio.

With Acorns, you can invest in an S&P 500 ETF with as little as $5 — and, if you sign up today with a recurring investment, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.

For investors interested in individual stocks, research tools like Moby can come in handy. Their team of former hedge fund analysts does the heavy lifting — breaking down the market, flagging quality stocks, and making the research easy to digest.

In fact, across nearly 400 stock picks over the past four years, Moby's recommendations have beaten the S&P 500 by almost 12% on average. Their research keeps you up-to-the-minute on market shifts, and takes the guesswork out of choosing investments.

Plus, their reports are easy to understand for beginners, so you can become a smarter investor in just five minutes.

A golden hedge when confidence is tested

While stocks have shown resilience in recent weeks, markets don't always move in straight lines — especially when valuations are stretched. With major indices near record highs, some experts warn of froth and the risk of chasing momentum without doing the homework.

That's where gold often enters the conversation.

Unlike stocks, gold doesn't rely on earnings growth or economic expansion. Instead, it has traditionally drawn interest during periods of uncertainty — whether that's conflict, currency volatility or concerns about rising prices.

With oil prices climbing and inflation still a lingering concern, some investors view gold as a way to balance portfolios that are heavily tilted toward equities. The idea isn't to replace stocks, but to complement them — particularly in moments when markets are being tested by external shocks.

Over the past 12 months, gold prices have climbed by more than 40%.