$1M ‘Trump Gold Card’ goes live amid travel rule furor

President Donald Trump signs order setting up special visa for wealthy people

Another piece of news: Visitors from visa-exempt countries must now provide a five-year social media history to enter the US

(Image credit: Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

What happened

President Donald Trump Wednesday said his administration’s new “gold card” visa was open for sale, offering an expedited and “direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people” in exchange for a $1 million “gift,” or $2 million if their company is footing the bill. Hours earlier, U.S. Customs and Border Protection formally proposed requiring visitors from visa-exempt countries in Europe and Asia to provide a five-year social media history and detailed information about family members as a condition of entry to the U.S.

Who said what

Trump said his “Trump Gold Card” will ensure that U.S. businesses can “finally keep their invaluable Talent” and fill federal coffers. But the new visa, depicted as “gold, credit-card-shaped” and emblazoned with Trump’s photo, faces “questions about its viability and legality,” The Washington Post said. It also “underscores a striking contrast in the administration’s immigration stance: aggressive raids, restrictions and quick deportations alongside expedited entry to the ultrarich.”

The intrusive new “social media snooping rule” for visitors from the 42 countries in the Visa Waiver Program would “come into effect early next year — shortly before hundreds of thousands of football fans” travel to the U.S. for the World Cup, Politico said. Demanding five years of social media history “is outrageous” and would “seriously damage the U.S. tourist industry,” Irish lawmaker Barry Andrews said. “Even the worst authoritarian states in the world do not have such an official policy.”

What next?

Asked if he thought the new policy would harm tourism, Trump said no, telling reporters he wanted to “make sure we’re not letting the wrong people come into our country.” The proposal will be open for public comment for 60 days. “This is not a final rule,” CBP said in a statement, just the “first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options.”

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.