President-elect Trump appeared to agree with Elon Musk in supporting H-1B visas for skilled workers in the U.S.
“I’ve always liked the visas. I have always been in favor of the visas.
That’s why we have them,” Trump told the New York Post Saturday.
Trump acknowledged the use of H-1B visas on his properties, stating, “I’ve been a believer in H-1B.
I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”
Trump’s comments come as the right clashes over immigration and the role of foreign workers in the U.S. labor market.
Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, tapped by Trump to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), argued that American culture has neglected education.
Consequently, they believe tech companies like Musk’s SpaceX and Tesla need foreign workers.
Many tech companies have embraced the H-1B visa program, which allows U.S companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations.
However, critics argue that employers often choose H-1B holders over U.S. citizens for jobs.
One such critic, Laura Loomer, set off a firestorm on X when criticizing Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American venture capitalist, to be an adviser on artificial intelligence policy.
In a post, she expressed concern that Krishnan, a U.S. citizen, would influence the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
“It’s alarming to see the number of career leftists who are now being appointed to serve in Trump’s admin when they share views that are in direct opposition to Trump’s America First agenda,” she wrote.
Musk doubled down on his position, blasting a user on X Friday who criticized his stance on the visa program.
“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B,” Musk wrote on X.
Ramaswamy has similarly been pro-H-1B visa, writing: “American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence.”