Trump told an audience of business executives that the US needs immigrants who can train domestic workers in high-tech factories โ and insisted that doing so is not inconsistent with his core political beliefs.
US President Donald Trump, who made hardline immigration policies a signature issue, on Wednesday acknowledged that he’s been criticised for recently saying some skilled immigrants should be allowed into the country for his โMake America Great Againโ supporters.
Trump told an audience of business executives that the US needs immigrants who can train domestic workers in high-tech factories โ and insisted that doing so is not inconsistent with his core political beliefs.
Trump says he loves his conservative friends
โI love my conservative friends. I love MAGA. But this is MAGA,โ Trump said during an address to the US-Saudi Investment Forum, which he attended with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. โThose people are going to teach our people how to make computer chips, and in a short period of time, our people are going to be doing great. And those people can go home.โ
The comments drew applause in the room. But last week, Trump sparred with Fox News host Laura Ingraham over the same issue.
Ingraham suggested during an interview with Trump that โyou can’t flood the country with tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of foreign workers,โ only to have the president respond, โYou also do have to bring in talent.โ
Hereโs what Trump told Laura Ingraham
When Ingraham said that the US had โplenty of talented people here,โ Trump said, โNo, you don’t,โ and added that โpeople have to learn.โ
The exchange drew swift and sharp online criticism from some corners of the MAGA movement, who have opposed expanding H-1B visas, and other programmes designed to let skilled immigrants into the country.
With inputs from AP