Trump’s Gold Card citizenship feels like a slimy way to make the rich even richer
President Donald Trump will be selling gold cards and American citizenship to the highest international bidders. This unusual declaration from the president has stirred up online controversy.
At a White House press conference, Trump revealed his divisive proposal: selling United States citizenships. “We’re going to be selling a gold card. You have a green card. This is a gold card,” Trump cheekily remarked. He continued, “We’re going to put a price on that gold card of about $5 million, and that’s going to give you green card privileges.” The president further explained that the program will also be a route to citizenship for these gold card holders.
Trump insisted that the conceptual gold card will bring in economic growth for the United States. Hypothetical gold cards would allow wealthy foreigners arrive in the United States, pay taxes, and hire Americans. As shocking as the new policy is, it was said by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that the gold cards could be rolled out in early March 2025. Trump and his team view the gold card alternative to the EB-5 program, which they plan to scrap.
According to Lutnick, the EB-5 program was “full of make-believe, nonsense, and fraud.” The EB-5 provides foreign nationals the route to full residency in the United States if they invest a minimum of $800,000 into the country. Lutnick and Trump didn’t elaborate on why the gold card would be a better alternative. Instead, Lutnick asserted that they’ll properly screen and vet buyers of the gold card.
It’s a rather questionable claim from Lutnick. When Trump was asked by a reporter about the eligibility of Russian oligarchs to buy the gold card, he immediately agreed. He didn’t seem concerned about national security. Trump even added, “I know some Russian oligarchs that are nice people.”
Trump’s gold card citizenship is met with social media backlash
Social media users were largely appalled at Trump’s proposal. One comment on YouTube reads, “So, he’s going to price us out of our own country. The same way he wants to take over Gaza and make it a resort for rich people.”
At first glance, the gold card appears to be a rebranded and pricier version of the EB-5 program. Others attacked Trump’s proposal from the angle of national security. An X user wrote, “Trump’s cozying up to ‘very nice’ Russian oligarchs while selling $5M gold cards screams corruption.” Others on social media even accused Trump of being a Russian asset, given his alleged pandering to Russia’s interests.
It’s worth noting that Russian firms prefer to invest in countries that have weak political institutions and high political risks. According to a study published by Libman at Elsevier, state-owned firms are highly responsive to the Russian foreign policy agenda. Additionally, Russia’s oligarchs answer, unsurprisingly, to President Vladimir Putin’s interests. Instead of giving citizens and the press a reassuring answer, Trump isn’t denying Russian oligarchs the possibility of setting up shop in the United States. Perhaps the price of gas can finally drop—only if people are willing to trade their democratic institutions for it.
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