Ray Dalio says economic world order ‘is gone’ — warns of US ‘civil war.’ Preserve your wealth now
‘Let’s not be naive’: Ray Dalio says economic world order ‘is gone’ — warns of US ‘civil war.’ Preserve your wealth now
Jing Pan Sun, April 12, 2026 Moneywise
In the wake of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, billionaire and founder of Bridgewater Associates, Ray Dalio, sounded a global fire alarm, and it’s starting to look like he was right.
The short version? The old economic world order is gone, and it’s likely not coming back any time soon.
“Let’s not be naive, ok, and say: Oh, we’re breaking the rule-based system,” Dalio said in an interview with Fortune at the WEF (1). “It’s gone. It’s going.” Dalio was referring to the current global balance of power between nations, which has hinged on relatively predictable U.S. foreign policy.
However, since March 18, all eyes have turned to Iran.
Due to the war, the price of gas has risen about 80 cents per gallon, put down to the limited supply caused by the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz (2). CNN reported in early April that in a speech to the press, the President threatened to bring Iran “back to the stone ages, where they belong (3)”.
This could indicate another lengthy conflict in the Middle East, but it’s only the latest in a series of echoing foreign policy maneuvers spanning the last year. For instance, in April 2025, the S&P 500 had one of the largest dips in its history, driven by U.S. “reciprocal” tariffs (4). The remainder of 2025 saw threats against Greenland’s sovereignty, regular verbal sparring over NATO targets and further shifts in the ongoing Ukrainian War.
Now, with gas at over $4 a gallon on average, many everyday Americans and Wall Street investors are worried about the economic impacts the new energy crisis has triggered.
Wars on multiple fronts could spell disaster
Essentially, wars suck up time and capital while eroding trust. Purchasing debt from a nation actively engaged in a war, for example, could be a bad bet, according to Dalio.
And this isn’t the first time Dalio has warned about a shaky grasp on the current global world order. In an interview in late 2025 on Leaders with Francine Lacqua (5), Dalio was confronted with a blunt question: “Could we be close to another world war?”
He didn’t hesitate. “We are in wars,” Dalio replied. “There is a financial money war, there's a technology war, there's geopolitical wars, and there are more military wars.”
Then came his more unsettling assessment: The U.S. itself isn’t immune.
“We have a civil war of some sort, which is developing in the United States and elsewhere, where there are irreconcilable differences,” Dalio said.
Here’s how things break down on the home front.
Mounting Division
Political opinion in America is sharply divided.
The American Survey Center reported as of 2025 that 71% of Republicans were at least somewhat satisfied with the current state of affairs in the country, and only 12% of Democrats said the same. In 2024, 17% of Republicans and 51% of Democrats were satisfied.
And yet, 61% of Americans across the political spectrum now report dissatisfaction with the current administration and state of the nation (6).
With this in mind, Dalio’s bleak outlook may be more realistic.
It’s a stark warning — especially from someone who also cautioned earlier in the interview that “our power to hurt each other has never been greater.”
He outlined two paths the country could take.
To Read More: https://www.yahoo.com/finance/economy/policy/articles/let-not-naive-ray-dalio-090500188.html