(OPINION) A former government official has asserted that the United States has constructed a clandestine underground “city” at a cost of $21 trillion, intended for the ultra-wealthy in the event of a “near-extinction event.”

Catherine Austin Fitts, who held the position of Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George H.W. Bush, made this remarkable claim during an appearance on the podcast hosted by former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson, as reported by Realtor.com.

A 2017 report by Mark Skidmore, an economist from Michigan State University, revealed what he characterized as $21 trillion in “unauthorized spending” by the Department of Housing and Urban Development between the years 1998 and 2015.

This investigation was initiated following Fitts’ reference to another report indicating that the Army had an unsupported adjustment figure of $6.5 trillion in fiscal year 2015.

According to the report, given the Army’s $122 billion budget, this figure of unsupported adjustments was 54 times greater than the expenditures authorized by Congress, an unusual occurrence as such adjustments are typically a small percentage of authorized spending.

During her discussion on “The Tucker Carlson Show,” Fitts mentioned that she has spent years scrutinizing the whereabouts of this $21 trillion and has identified 170 secret underground bases across the United States.

Fitts stated, “One of the aspects I investigated in tracking the allocation of these funds is the underground base infrastructure and transportation systems that have been established.”

She further asserted, “A significant number of underground bases and purported transportation systems have been built,” including those located beneath oceans.

The specific locations of these secret installations, as well as the individuals among the elite who may gain access to them in times of crisis, remain unclear.

Additionally, the extent of these bunkers and the amenities they offer for daily life is also unknown.

According to Fitts, these bases would serve purposes in the event of an imminent “near-extinction event” or facilitate the government’s execution of “secret” projects, including a covert space program.

Carlson indicated that he presumed such facilities would be limited to Washington, D.C., designated for scenarios involving “nuclear war.” In response, Fitts commented, “Some of it is. It is preparation for catastrophe.”