# Warren Buffett's 2008 Buy American Advice

> Buffett's 2008 'buy American' advice still holds value after 18 years.
- Title: Warren Buffett's 2008 Buy American Advice · The Motley Fool
- Summary: Buffett's 2008 'buy American' advice still holds value after 18 years. Following Buffett's 2008 advice to buy American stocks during the financial crisis led…
- Keywords: warren buffett, s&p 500, spdr spy, financial crisis, stock market, dividends, berkshire hathaway, finance, money, Warren, Buffett's, 2008
- Source: The Motley Fool — https://fool.com/investing/2026/10/14/warren-buffett-wrote-buy-american-i-am-18-years-ago-this-week-should-you-still-follow-his-advice
- Author: Daniel Sparks
- Published: 2026-10-15T02:14:02+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: warren buffett, s&p 500, spdr spy, financial crisis, stock market, dividends, berkshire hathaway, finance, money
## Buffett's 2008 op-ed
Warren Buffett published an op-ed in The New York Times on Oct. 16, 2008, titled 'Buy American. I Am.'

> buy american. i am
## Market context
The S&P 500 closed at 941 on Oct. 17, 2008, down 40% from its October 2007 record.
## Buffett's investment strategy
Buffett bought American stocks, saying his net worth would soon be fully in U.S. stocks if prices remained appealing.

> i've been buying american stocks
## Short-term market drop
The S&P 500 dropped 28% from Oct. 17, 2008, to hit a low of 677 on March 9, 2009.
## Long-term recovery
The S&P 500 recovered to 115,600 from $10,000 invested on Oct. 17, 2008, with dividends reinvested.
## Current market comparison
Investing in the S&P 500 on Oct. 17, 2008, grew 11.6-fold by 2026, while waiting for the market to recover cost more.
## Key takeaway

Following Buffett's 2008 advice to buy American stocks during the financial crisis led to a 11.6-fold gain in the S&P 500 by 2026.