In a recent exchange, President-elect Donald Trump shared his perspective on a contentious debate concerning H-1B visas, which has stirred tensions among his supporters. Speaking to the New York Post, Trump expressed his approval of the program, which permits U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for specialized jobs. “I’ve always appreciated the value of H-1B visas,” Trump commented. “They’ve played a significant role across my properties. It’s a fantastic program that I’ve utilized frequently,” the report notes.
Efforts to reach out to the Trump transition team for further comment were initially met with silence. During his earlier tenure, Trump’s administration had attempted to impose stricter regulations on the number of these visas issued, but those changes were blocked by the courts.
Lately, the issue has ignited discussions within Trump’s circle, dividing opinions on whether these visas take opportunities away from American workers or help the nation as many supporters believe. Notable allies, including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, have publicly defended the visa program. Musk, in particular, highlighted in a recent post that America lacks a sufficient pool of both highly talented and driven engineers.
Musk, originally from South Africa and now a U.S. citizen, credited the H-1B system for bringing visionaries like him to the U.S., enabling the development of companies like SpaceX and Tesla. He passionately criticized those who oppose the program, suggesting a need to purge “hateful, unrepentant racists” from Republican ranks.
Musk’s comments followed a post by Scott Adams, the “Dilbert” comic creator, on the nature of political strategies. Meanwhile, Ramaswamy, who collaborates with Musk to lead Trump’s non-governmental Department of Government Efficiency, voiced hopes for a cultural shift back to valuing “hard work” over complacency.
In a critique of the current H-1B system, Ramaswamy proposed reforms that prioritize skill over randomness, competitiveness without tying workers to single employers, and less bureaucracy. Counterpoints from some Republicans included assertions by far-right figures like Laura Loomer and Steve Bannon, with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley labeling the tech sector’s reliance on foreign hires as “lazy.”
Haley urged investment in American talent as a first response rather than immediately seeking overseas options. The matter escalated when Musk faced backlash, with accusations of censoring conservative critics by revoking their verified status after disagreeing with his immigration stance.
