Trump This Week: Gold Card Visas, AI Crackdown and a New Border Zone
Sultanul Arefin 
This week, Donald Trump dominated global headlines with a mix of immigration, technology and security moves.
From a million-dollar visa to new rules on artificial intelligence and a militarised border strip, the administration signalled a more aggressive second-term agenda.
Gold Card visa offers fast track for the ultra-rich
President Trump formally launched his new “Gold Card” visa program on 10 December, opening an online portal for applications.
The scheme promises “record-time” US residency for foreigners who pay a US$15,000 fee and later make a US$1 million contribution to the US government.
A corporate version lets companies sponsor foreign workers for US$2 million per employee, with family add-ons at higher rates in some descriptions.
The White House promotes the program as a way to attract “top talent” and raise billions in revenue without new taxes.
Immigration lawyers, however, warn that the Gold Card may rest on shaky legal ground because Congress did not create a new visa class.
Critics say it builds a two-tier immigration system, favouring millionaires while other migrants face tighter rules and long backlogs.
AI rules: political bias checks and fight over state laws
Trump’s team also moved aggressively on artificial intelligence regulation.
A new directive requires AI vendors to measure political “bias” in their large language models if they want federal contracts, excluding only national-security systems.
The policy builds on a July order telling agencies to avoid AI tools the president labels “woke”, and says systems for government must not encode partisan judgments.
Because the US government is a major AI customer, the move could reshape how big tech firms design and test chatbots.
At the same time, Trump signed an executive order to curb state-level AI laws, creating a federal task force to challenge regulations seen as too strict.
Civil liberties groups and several state officials argue the order favours big tech, weakens consumer protections and sidelines local experiments on AI safety.
Border security: new militarised zone in California
On immigration enforcement, the administration unveiled a new militarised zone along part of the California–Mexico border.
Roughly 760 acres of public land in San Diego and Imperial counties will shift to Navy control for at least three years to create a National Defense Area.
Supporters say the move strengthens national defence and helps tackle unlawful crossings in busy sectors.
However, critics note that border arrests are at or near historic lows and question whether such militarisation is justified.
The designation lets military personnel detain people suspected of unlawful entry and adds tougher criminal penalties in the zone.
In a related setback, a federal judge blocked Trump’s attempt to federalise California’s National Guard during immigration protests, keeping control with the state’s governor.
Foreign policy: rare earths coalition takes aim at China
Beyond US borders, Trump is pushing a new techno-strategic alliance built around critical minerals and advanced tech.
The administration announced a coalition based on the “Pax Silica Declaration”, bringing together Singapore, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Israel to counter China’s dominance in rare earths and frontier technologies.
The partners plan closer cooperation on research, manufacturing and infrastructure, plus aligned export controls and investment screening.
Officials compare the grouping to a tech-age G7, aimed at reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains for materials used in EVs, smartphones and weapons systems.
A broader summit is expected to invite European and Middle Eastern states, potentially expanding the coalition.
As a result, Trump is using economic and technology policy as tools in a long-running contest with Beijing.
Courts and power: Supreme Court signals support for Trump
In Washington, the US Supreme Court heard arguments in Trump v. Slaughter, a case that could dramatically expand presidential control over independent agencies.
Several justices signalled they are ready to weaken or overturn a 90-year-old precedent that limits when presidents can fire board members of regulatory bodies.
If the court sides with Trump, future presidents could remove officials at agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission far more easily.
Supporters say this would increase democratic accountability; opponents warn it risks politicising watchdogs designed to be insulated from White House pressure.
In a separate front, the court has also agreed to review Trump’s earlier executive order narrowing birthright citizenship, though arguments are expected in 2026.
Together, the legal battles show how central executive power remains to Trump’s governing project in his second term.
Featured image: Washington Post
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