They will never return to a “gold standard”, they spent decades getting away from sound economic principles for a reason, it was quite difficult and involved a lot of arm twisting and threats.
More likely they will sell off “public land” holdings. My theory is they have been pledged as collateral, and then de facto placed off limits through “Wilderness” or “Monument” status. Coal, oil, gas, timber resources are immense in America.
The USA is the “Saudi Arabia” of coal, high quality coal, enough to meet energy needs for hundreds and hundreds of years. I’m not wedded to the idea of coal or oil, or on the payroll. The problem is nothing else comes close to the energy density and low cost, good paying jobs and careers, tax revenue, and national security. Among other things.
What they have been doing is absolutely criminal.
For the sake of argument, let's suppose that your theory is correct.
Let me ask you this: when other countries stop buying our debt and it all collapses, do you think that the US will voluntarily turn over that collateral?
Morally, that would be the right thing for a borrower to do, but do you think that we would?
What if the plan was never to pay it back at all, and just do an economic reset to the gold standard after the party is over?