Trump Introduces $5 Million ‘Gold Card’ for Wealthy Foreigners, Promising Residency and Prestige

In a move that blends immigration policy with luxury branding, former U.S. President Donald Trump has officially unveiled the highly anticipated "$5 million Gold Card" — a bold overhaul of the EB-5 visa program aimed at attracting ultra-wealthy foreign nationals to invest in the United States in exchange for green-card-like privileges.

Trump revealed the sleek design of the new "Trump Gold Card" during a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Florida for the LIV Golf tournament at his resort. Emblazoned with his own image, the metallic card represents not only a new pathway to permanent U.S. residency but also what Trump dubbed as "green-card privileges plus" — a luxury-tier immigration offering.

"For $5 million, this could be yours," Trump declared. "That was the first of the cards. You know what that card is? It’s the gold card — the Trump card."

According to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the initiative is based on a revamped version of the EB-5 visa program — a policy originally introduced in the 1990s to attract international capital by offering green cards to foreign investors who put substantial funds (historically around $1 million) into job-creating U.S. projects.

However, the new version abandons many of the original restrictions, such as prioritizing investments in rural or high-unemployment areas, and instead opens the door to the global elite who can afford the $5 million price tag.

Lutnick revealed that over 1,000 gold cards have already been sold, with more than 37 million individuals worldwide possessing the financial means to buy one. He also suggested the program could generate massive revenue to reduce national debt. “There’s a line for EB-5 of 250,000 right now. 200,000 of these gold green cards [at $5 million] is $1 trillion to pay down our debt,” he noted.

While Trump humorously claimed to be the first cardholder himself, the identity of the second buyer remains unclear. Trump hinted the card would be fully available “in less than two weeks, probably.”

⚠️ Concerns and Criticism

Despite the promise of revenue and simplified immigration processes, the program is facing scrutiny from good governance advocates. Critics argue that the initiative could encourage corruption, provide undue advantages to the global elite, and undermine the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.

Countries such as Portugal, Malta, and the UAE have implemented similar “golden visa” programs to attract foreign capital, but they too have faced allegations of favoritism, abuse, and enabling money laundering.

As Trump continues to blend policy with personal branding — using platforms like the Trump Gold Card to court international capital — questions remain about the long-term implications for equity, transparency, and fairness in U.S. immigration policy.