McGregor Claims White House Negotiations Include 100 Gold Card Visas

Former UFC champion Conor McGregor has claimed he is negotiating directly with the U.S. government for a $100 million purse and 100 Gold Card visas to headline a planned White House fight event in June 2026. The alleged package would include the newly created immigration permits for his family and friends.

McGregor made the assertion on social media platform X, stating he had been offered “$100 million to fight at the White House along with 100 U.S. ‘Golden Visas’ for myself and family and friends.” The Irish fighter has not competed in the UFC since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the program on September 19, 2025, requiring individuals to donate $1 million to the Commerce Department in exchange for expedited permanent residency processing. Corporate sponsors can secure cards for employees by donating $2 million per individual.

The program’s structure creates questions about McGregor’s claim. Gold Cards function as investor visas requiring the recipient or sponsor to make unrestricted financial gifts to the federal government, not as transferable benefits the government distributes to third parties. Each card necessitates a separate million-dollar donation and individual vetting by the Department of Homeland Security.

If McGregor’s assertion proves accurate, the 100 Gold Cards would carry a nominal value of $100 million in required donations on top of the $100 million payout he says he would get.

The claim suggests either the U.S. government or another entity would absorb these costs on behalf of McGregor’s family and friends, an arrangement without precedent in the program’s brief history, and could potentially set a precedent.

UFC President Dana White has confirmed discussions about hosting an event at the White House to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

White told media outlets that “Conor and I have been talking consistently, he wants this fight bad, and when you get to a level that Conor is at, you have to find things that motivate you, and the White House card has definitely motivated him.” White has not addressed McGregor’s specific financial claims.

The White House has not issued any statement confirming McGregor’s assertions about either the purse or visa arrangement. The UFC similarly has not verified the claimed terms. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose department oversees the Gold Card program, has not commented on any connection between the visa initiative and the proposed sporting event.

Immigration attorney David Lesperance of Lesperance & Associates characterized McGregor’s quoted compensation as “aspirational.” The president cannot unilaterally distribute Gold Cards, particularly as the program awaits congressional action to formalize its legal framework.

Trump’s executive order mandates that the Commerce, State, and Homeland Security departments establish the program within 90 days. Lesperance notes that the next step requires draft legislation to be introduced to Congress, though the administration has begun processing applications under the executive order framework.

Commerce Secretary Lutnick announced that traditional immigration pathways face suspension within a month, positioning the Gold Card as the primary model for future immigration.

The official website trumpcard.gov confirms that Gold Card holders receive lawful permanent resident status as Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1) or Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) visa holders, categories that historically served individuals with extraordinary abilities or advanced degrees.

Trump first proposed the concept at $5 million in February 2025. The administration has since established a three-tier structure beyond the basic Gold Card. The Trump Corporate Gold Card requires $2 million per employee while creating transferable corporate immigration assets.

Companies can cease sponsoring one employee and redirect the gift contribution to a new employee without making an additional $2 million payment, subject to transfer fees and vetting.

A proposed $5 million Platinum Card would allow holders to spend up to 270 days annually in the United States without taxation on foreign income. This tier requires congressional approval before implementation. The official website states the Platinum Card is “coming soon” and encourages prospective applicants to join a waitlist for first-come, first-served processing.

Commerce Secretary Lutnick projected the program would generate over $100 billion in revenue, though this requires selling 100,000 Gold Cards or 20,000 Platinum Cards. The administration plans to make 80,000 Gold Cards available initially, exceeding typical annual EB-1 and EB-2 issuance combined.

McGregor’s claims arrive amid legal and reputational challenges for the fighter. An Irish court rejected his appeal in a civil case where a jury found him liable for sexual assault in November 2024, ordering him to pay £206,000 in damages. He withdrew from the Irish presidential race in September 2025 after facing questions about his eligibility and fitness for office.

The feasibility of McGregor’s claimed compensation package depends on factors beyond public view. Whether the UFC, the U.S. government, corporate sponsors, or some combination would fund such an arrangement remains unconfirmed. The absence of corroborating statements from official sources leaves McGregor’s assertions in the realm of unverified claims.