Trump’s ‘gold card’ visas were supposed to solve the $39 trillion national debt. They’ve only sold one
President Trump's proposal for 'gold card' visas aimed to generate revenue to address the national debt, which currently stands at nearly $39 trillion. Despite the initial promise of raising significant funds, only one visa has been approved so far, raising questions about the feasibility of the plan. Additionally, while tariffs have proven to be a more effective revenue source, the allocation of those funds remains uncertain.
- ▪The U.S. Treasury's debt is approaching $39 trillion, with interest payments exceeding $1 trillion annually.
- ▪Trump's 'gold card' visa plan aimed to charge wealthy immigrants $5 million each, but only one has been approved so far.
- ▪Tariffs have generated significant revenue, with estimates of $214.7 billion collected in 2025, but how those funds will be used is still unclear.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Whether or not you agree with President Trump’s methods to drum up revenue to assist with the government’s balance of payments, economists largely welcome the fact that at least the White House is talking about deficits.At the time of writing, the U.S. Treasury is sitting on debt worth just shy of $39 trillion, a pile accumulated under both the Republicans and Democrats. Both sides of the House have looked on, as interest payments to service that debt have soared to more than $1 trillion annually.The second Trump administration has floated various methods to help rebalance the books: Tariffs were one, and “gold card” visas were another.This time last year, the president outlined his plan to charge rich immigrants $5 million for a gold card—which has green card immigration privileges “plus…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Fortune.
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