Aboard Air Force One, In a move that could reshape US immigration policy, President Donald Trump revealed a new “gold card” visa program offering permanent residency, and a potential path to citizenship, for foreign investors willing to pay $5 million.
Flashing the gleaming gold card to reporters on Friday, Trump quipped, “For $5 million, this could be yours. That was the first of the cards. You know what that card is? It’s the gold card, the Trump card.”
The program, set to launch within two weeks, will replace the existing EB-5 visa, which currently requires a $1 million investment and the creation of at least ten jobs. The administration has criticized the EB-5 system as flawed, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick calling it “full of nonsense, make-believe, and fraud.”
The Gold Card initiative aims to attract wealthy foreign investors, dubbed “world-class global citizens”, by offering them permanent residency in exchange for their financial contributions. While the card doesn’t grant immediate citizenship, holders can apply after five years, provided they maintain their status.
When asked who the first buyer would be, Trump grinned and said, “It’s me. It’s pretty exciting, right?”, though it remains unclear if he was joking or signaling his own symbolic participation.
The President framed the program as a major economic boon, suggesting that selling one million Gold Cards could generate $5 trillion. “We have $35 trillion in debt. That’ll be nice, so we’ll see,” he remarked.
Critics, however, argue that the plan prioritizes wealth over merit, further tilting US immigration in favor of the ultra-rich. Supporters counter that high-net-worth immigrants could spur job creation and investment in struggling sectors.
With full details still pending, the Gold Card program is already sparking debate: Is this a savvy economic move or a gilded gateway for the global elite?
