Trump makes jaw-dropping DOW prediction of 100,000 by 2029 — a 99% surge fueled by ‘great tariffs.’ Build serious wealth with America's momentum

In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump credited his sweeping tariffs for the market’s strength and laid out an ambitious target for the years ahead.

“Record Stock Market and National Security, driven by our Great TARIFFS,” he wrote (1). “I am predicting 100,000 on the DOW by the end of my Term.”

Given that Trump’s term ends in January 2029, that projection implies the Dow would go up 99% in less than three years.

Trump has never been shy about championing tariffs. He recently said they “brought America back” from the “dead,” pointing to third-quarter GDP growth of 4.4% — the fastest pace in two years.

It’s also not the first time he has highlighted the market’s performance. In December, Trump remarked, “the only thing that’s really going up big? It’s the stock market and your 401(k)s (2).”

The broader numbers help explain the enthusiasm. The benchmark S&P 500 returned about 16% in 2025 and is up roughly 77% over the past five years.

According to Fidelity, the average 401(k) balance climbed 9% year over year to $144,400 in the third quarter of 2025 — an all-time high (3).

If you share that optimism, here’s a look at a few simple ways to position yourself for America’s growth in 2026 — and beyond.

‘The best thing to do,’ according to Warren Buffett

Investing legend Warren Buffett has long highlighted the U.S. stock market’s power to generate substantial wealth over time.

As Buffett wrote in 2017, “American business – and consequently a basket of stocks – is virtually certain to be worth far more in the years ahead (4).”

Of course, consistently picking winning stocks isn’t easy. But Buffett argues that most people don’t need to pick individual companies at all to benefit from the stock market’s long-term growth.

“In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is own the S&P 500 index fund,” Buffett has famously stated (5). This approach gives investors 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 deposit, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.

Build wealth through US real estate

Beyond stocks, real estate has long been another cornerstone of wealth-building in America.

In fact, Buffett often points to real estate when explaining what a productive, income-generating asset looks like. In 2022, Buffett stated that if you offered him “1% of all the apartment houses in the country” for $25 billion, he would “write you a check (6).”

Why? Because regardless of what’s happening in the broader economy, people still need a place to live and apartments can consistently produce rent money.

Real estate also offers a built-in hedge against inflation. When inflation rises, property values often increase as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land. At the same time, rental income tends to go up, providing landlords with a revenue stream that adjusts with inflation.

Of course, you don’t need $25 billion — or even to buy a single property outright — to invest in real estate. Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.

Backed by world class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.

The process is simple: Browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you’d like to purchase and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.

Another option is Lightstone DIRECT, which offers accredited investors access to institutional-quality multifamily and industrial real estate — with a minimum investment of $100,000.

Founded in 1986 by David Lichtenstein, Lightstone Group is one of the largest privately held real estate investment firms in the U.S., with more than $12 billion in assets under management.

Over nearly-four decades, their team has delivered strong, risk-adjusted performance across multiple market cycles — including a 27.6% historical net IRR and a 2.54x historical net equity multiple on realized investments since 2004.

With Lightstone DIRECT, you gain access to that proprietary deal flow.

Here’s the kicker: Lightstone invests at least 20% of its own capital in every deal — roughly four times the industry average. With skin in the game, the firm ensures its interests are directly aligned with those of its investors.

A safe haven shines again

Markets may be riding high, but rallies rarely move in a straight line.

Corrections, policy shifts and unexpected economic shocks can quickly unsettle even the strongest momentum.

That’s why Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, has repeatedly emphasized that in investing, “the most important thing is to have a well-diversified portfolio.”

A key diversifier he frequently highlights? Gold.

“People don't have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,” Dalio told CNBC last year. “When bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier.”