President Donald Trump dropped a big news bomb on Tuesday straight from the White House. He’s rolling out a shiny new “gold card” visa that costs $5 million which is about N2.5 trillion in Naira and gives rich foreigners a fast track to live in the U.S. forever and even become citizens. This new plan kicks out the old EB-5 program that’s been around since 1990, which let people invest $1 million or $800,000 to get in. Trump says this “gold card” will bring in wealthy folks who’ll spend big, pay taxes, and create jobs.
The announcement had Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick by Trump’s side, slamming the old EB-5 setup as messy and full of scams. He said the “gold card” bumps the price to $5 million and cuts the red tape, making it cleaner and tougher to cheat. Trump bragged, “Rich people will buy this card and pour money into our country.” They’re rushing to start this in just two weeks, and Trump even hinted it could sell 10 million cards to shrink America’s huge debt. But he didn’t say no when asked if people like Russian billionaires could grab one too.
Not everyone’s cheering, though. Some say this plan favors money over talent and might let shady characters slip in. Over 100 countries, like the UK and Canada, already have “golden visas” for rich investors, but critics worry Trump’s version skips Congress and puts a price tag on citizenship. The old EB-5 asked for at least 10 jobs per investor, while the “gold card” skips that rule just pay up and you’re in. Love it or hate it, this bold move’s got America and Nigerians talking.