President Donald Trump's recently announced immigration program, dubbed the "Gold Card," is drawing widespread reactions ahead of its rollout—including more than a few comparisons to the "golden tickets" from "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."
Trump holding up a gold card with his face on it: For $5 million, this can be yours pic.twitter.com/aJtjn077Mc
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 3, 2025
Trump showed off the first physical Gold Card to the press Thursday while aboard Air Force One. The card offers a fast track to US citizenship for "wonderful, world-class global citzens," and "high-level" individuals.
"For $5 million dollars it could be yours," Trump said, holding up a gold-colored card featuring his face. "It'll be out in less than two weeks probably."
So we're in the Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory gold ticket phase of the administration...got it 😑 pic.twitter.com/Gyy16QpHFS
— Great White North 🍁🇨🇦 (@MadeInCanada_eh) April 3, 2025
Social media lit up with reactions, many drawing parallels to the fantastical world of Willy Wonka.
One viral post read, "So we're in the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory gold ticket phase of the administration...got it."
"Bro went full Willy Wonka," a user wrote, with another commenting "Willy Wonka ass presidency."
The comparison was not complimentary, as one post clarified by dubbing Trump "an evil, unwhimsical Willy Wonka." Some fans of the original story found the comparison unfair to Wonka, with another post countering, "Willy Wonka he is not."
Willy Wonka he is not pic.twitter.com/7iAn1nqkGk
— Michael Kowsari (@RealMKowsari) April 3, 2025
Critics have raised concerns that the policy reduces American residency to a luxury item for the ultra-wealthy, sidelining merit-based and humanitarian immigration efforts. Some accused the president of favoring oligarchs and elites, with one journalist noting that the policy reveals Trump's real issue isn't immigration—"but poor migrants," excluding the Charlies and Grandpa Joes of the world in favor of the Veruca Salts.
President Trump announces the U.S. will replace the EB-5 program with a new "Gold Card."
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 25, 2025
"They'll be able to pay $5 million to the U.S. government. They'll have to go through vetting, of course ... The President can give them a green card — and they can invest in America and we... pic.twitter.com/xcJntSkHtm
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