Trump Weighs In On H-1B Visa Debate

President Trump has weighed in on the ongoing debates among conservatives regarding H-1B visas.

In the last several days, debates regarding H-1B visas arose when both DOGE leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy publicly supported the visas that allow foreigners to work at U.S. companies.

Trump, in a statement to teh New York Post shared, “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas.”

He added, “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”

JUST IN – Trump supports Musk, Ramaswamy on H-1B visas, says he uses them himself — NY Post pic.twitter.com/Ozaz7Xbwyg

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) December 28, 2024

Here’s what The New York Post reported:

President-elect Trump told The Post Saturday he supports immigration visas for highly skilled workers, appearing to side with Elon Musk in the roiling intra-MAGA debate on the issue.

“I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them,” Trump said by phone, referring to the H-1B program, which permits companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” added Trump, who restricted access to foreign worker visas in his first administration and has been critical of the program in the past.

Musk and other tech barons argued this week that the H-1B visa program is critical to ensuring American companies can find highly skilled labor which may not be easily available in the U.S. labor force and must be expanded.

MAGA hardliners want Trump to follow through with his promise to promote US workers and impose tougher restrictions on immigration.

Trump’s Saturday comments come a day after Musk vowed to go to “war” on the issue, telling one mocking opponent to go “f–k yourself.”

Breaking: DONALD TRUMP BACKS ELON MUSK ON H-1B VISAS

“I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them.

I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”

via… pic.twitter.com/G6cp5QYlkt

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) December 28, 2024

Per NBC News:

President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on a simmering feud among MAGA allies over H-1B worker visas, telling the New York Post that he supports the program, according to the outlet.

Trump told the New York Post that he has “always liked the visas.” The H-1B visa program allows employers to temporarily hire non-U.S. citizens for highly skilled jobs.

“I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” he said, according to the outlet’s report.

A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

ADVERTISEMENT

During his first term, the Trump administration implemented rules that would have cut the number of H-1B visas issued each year. The rules, however, were ultimately struck down in court.