President Donald Trump just rolled out a bold new way for the ultra-wealthy to buy their ticket to the American dream.
On Friday, September 19, 2025, Trump signed an executive order launching the 'Gold' and 'Platinum' cards, a high-stakes program designed to grant U.S. residency to affluent immigrants while funneling massive funds into the Treasury Department.
Let’s start at the beginning: Trump first floated the idea of the 'Gold' card back in February 2025 as a shiny substitute for the EB-5 visa program. He pitched it as a way to bring in deep-pocketed foreigners who’d contribute big to the tax base. And now, that vision has taken shape with a hefty price tag attached.
The 'Gold' card, available now on the trumpcard.gov website, will set you back a cool $1 million. After a vetting process by the Department of Homeland Security and a processing fee, it promises residency in record time. Talk about express checkout for the elite!
For businesses, there’s the 'Trump Corporate Gold Card' at $2 million, which can be transferred among employees with additional fees. It’s a clever move—why settle for one millionaire when you can snag a whole boardroom?
Trump’s team isn’t shy about the goal here: raking in over $100 billion for the Treasury. The funds, as the president put it, are earmarked “for cutting taxes and paying down debt.” Well, if you’ve got the cash to spare, at least it’s going somewhere productive.
Then there’s the 'Platinum' card, priced at a jaw-dropping $5 million, though it’s not yet up for grabs—listed as “coming soon” on the website. When it does launch, it offers a sweet deal: up to 270 days in the U.S. without being taxed on non-U.S. income. That’s a tax holiday the average Joe can only dream of.
Trump’s vision for these cards isn’t just about revenue; it’s about attracting the cream of the crop. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed this, saying the program will “only take extraordinary people at the very top.” Sounds exclusive, but isn’t that the point?
Lutnick also framed it as a win for American workers, noting that these newcomers won’t “take jobs from the Americans” but will “create businesses and create jobs.” It’s a rosy picture, though one wonders if every millionaire will turn into a job-creating saint overnight.
Trump seems confident the tech sector, often reliant on skilled immigrant talent, will embrace this pricey pathway. He predicted they’d be “very happy” with the new cards. Let’s hope Silicon Valley’s enthusiasm matches the president’s optimism, or this could be a hard sell.
From the start, Trump has sold this as a way to bring in folks who’d be “paying a lot of taxes,” as he stated back in February 2025. It’s a fair argument—why not court those who can contribute the most financially? Still, the optics of a literal pay-to-play residency might rub some the wrong way.
Critics could argue this program tilts the immigration system further toward the wealthy, sidelining those without seven-figure bank accounts. But from a conservative lens, it’s a pragmatic way to prioritize economic impact over feel-good narratives. After all, shouldn’t immigration policy serve America’s bottom line first?
The mechanics are straightforward: apply through the official site, pass the security checks, and pony up the cash for near-instant residency with the 'Gold' card. The 'Platinum' perks, when available, sweeten the deal for global high-rollers. It’s capitalism at its most unapologetic.
Yet, one can’t help but wonder if this will truly deliver the $100 billion Trump projects, or if it’s more of a flashy headline than a fiscal game-changer. The promise of tax cuts and debt reduction sounds great, but only time will tell if the math adds up.
For now, Trump’s latest move is a clear signal: America’s doors are open, but only if you’ve got the gold—or platinum—to unlock them. It’s a stark departure from progressive calls for open borders, prioritizing hard economics over emotional appeals. And in a world obsessed with equity over merit, that’s a refreshing, if controversial, stance.
