President-elect Donald Trump has expressed support for Elon Musk amid a growing debate within the American political right over H-1B skilled worker visas.
Speaking to The New York Post on Saturday, Trump stated, “I’ve always liked the visas... I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times.
It’s a great program.
” The remarks highlight his long-standing endorsement of the visa system, which he has utilized extensively in his business ventures.
Trump had previously remained silent on the issue which has led to furious exchanges online between leading Maga acolytes.
In his first administration from 2017 to 2021, Trump signed an executive order to restrict access to such visas and has been critical of the program in the past, calling it “very bad” for Americans.
While Trump-supporting tech leaders such as X-owner Musk have stressed that H-1B visas are critical to finding skilled workers, “America First” hardliners want a new Trump administration to impose tougher restrictions on immigration at all levels.