**WASHINGTON —** On Tuesday, President Trump made a bold announcement regarding a new initiative from the US government: the introduction of $5 million “gold cards” that offer green-card residency status along with a pathway to American citizenship for foreign nationals. Trump predicted that around 1 million of these cards would be sold, claiming the program could significantly alleviate the national debt.
“It’s akin to a green card, but it represents a higher level of sophistication. It’s a direct route to citizenship for individuals of wealth or exceptional talent,” Trump shared during a press conference in the Oval Office.
The president elaborated, stating, “We’re setting the cost of this card at approximately $5 million, which will grant you ‘green card privileges plus’.” His remarks were directed to a gathered group of reporters.
“The individuals who obtain these cards will be affluent and successful, contributing considerable wealth to our economy, which means higher tax revenues and job creation for many.”
According to Trump, the initiative has received the green light from administration lawyers and is set to be launched in roughly “two weeks.”
Joining Trump was Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who described the program as a more attractive alternative to the EB-5 visa initiative, established by a 1990 law allowing certain investors to achieve green-card residency if they meet specific requirements.
“Instead of continuing this outdated EB-5 program, we’re going to dismantle it and replace it with the Trump Gold Card, which essentially functions as a green card,” Lutnick explained.
He continued, “Individuals will be able to pay $5 million to the US government. Of course, they will undergo stringent vetting to ensure they are exemplary world-class global citizens.”
Trump expressed his belief that a diverse group, including Russian oligarchs and Indian tech innovators, would invest in these gold cards.
“Companies like Apple, eager to employ top talent, will have the opportunity to acquire these cards. For students who excel at elite institutions, I envision this as a viable path as well,” Trump said.
“But broadly speaking, this will cater to those with financial means who also create jobs in the US. They won’t owe taxes on income generated outside the US, as they currently don’t, but once they create employment within the country, they’ll contribute taxes like everyone else.”
Predicting immense demand, Trump remarked, “We could potentially sell around a million of these cards, if not more. When you crunch the numbers, it’s quite impressive.”
“As a reference, one million cards could equate to $5 trillion. If we reach 10 million cards, that totals a staggering $50 trillion. Considering our $35 trillion national debt, that would be a game changer, so we’ll see how it plays out.”
The president assured that the initiative is “completely legal” from a legal perspective.
“It’s a robust direction toward citizenship, though obtaining citizenship will ultimately require Congressional approval,” he noted.
When asked whether Russian oligarchs, typically associated with financial misconduct, would be eligible, Trump replied, “Yes, possibly. I have known some Russian oligarchs who are genuinely good individuals.”
“It’s conceivable. While their wealth may have declined, I believe they can manage the $5 million investment.”
Priyam Gera