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US President Donald Trump has defended the H-1B visa programme, stating he "loves his conservative friends and MAGA" but believes the United States needs skilled foreign workers.
Speaking at the US Saudi Investment Forum on Wednesday, he pushed back against criticism from within his own political base. Trump argued that companies investing heavily in advanced facilities cannot "open a massive computer chip factory for billions and billions of dollars" and then "hire people off an unemployment line to run it," stressing that foreign experts are often required to train American workers before leaving. Despite opposition from some MAGA supporters, Trump maintained that high-skilled immigration is essential. Addressing frustration from parts of his base, he said, "They just don't understand," as he acknowledged tensions over expectations of a stricter "America First" approach. Reinforcing his argument, Trump said, "You can't come in, open a massive computer chip factory for billions and billions of dollars like is being done in Arizona, and think you're gonna hire people off an unemployment line to run it. They're gonna have to bring thousands of people with them, and I'm gonna welcome those people. This is MAGA." He repeated, "They just don't understand." Trump added that specialised knowledge must be shared before American workers can fully assume certain roles. "People have to be taught this is something they've never done. But we're not going to be successful if we don't allow people that invest billions of dollars in plants and equipment to bring a lot of their people from their country to get that plant open, operating, and working. I'm sorry." He further argued that the H-1B system remains necessary for industries relying on expertise that cannot be immediately sourced domestically. Defending his position, he said, "No, you don't. You don't have certain talents... You can't take people off the unemployment line and expect them to operate advanced factories or make missiles." His comments come as some Republican leaders step up pressure on him to dismantle the programme, even as Trump continues to support the need for high-skilled foreign workers. (ANI)
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