President Donald Trump said the United States does not have enough skilled workers to fill certain domestic jobs, defending the use of the H-1B visa program. In an interview with Fox News aired Tuesday night, Trump argued that some positions require talents that cannot be found among unemployed Americans.
Pressed by host Laura Ingraham on whether his administration would reduce H-1B visas over concerns about wage impacts for American workers, Trump said, “I agree — but you also do have to bring in talent.” When Ingraham noted there are plenty of talented people in the country, Trump replied, “No, you don’t, no you don’t … you don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn. You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory where we’re going to make missiles.’”
Trump pointed to a September Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid at a Hyundai facility in Georgia as evidence of the need for skilled foreign workers. Authorities arrested and deported hundreds of South Korean contractors over their immigration status. “In Georgia, they raided because they wanted illegal immigrants out — they had people from South Korea that made batteries all their life,” Trump said. “Making batteries is very complicated. It’s not an easy thing. Very dangerous, a lot of explosions, a lot of problems. They had like 500 or 600 people to make batteries and to teach people how to do it. Well, they wanted them to get out of the country. You’re going to need that, Laura.”
The president’s comments come two weeks after he told reporters traveling with him to South Korea that he opposed the ICE raid, part of his administration’s broader immigration crackdown at U.S. worksites.
In September, Trump signed an executive action imposing a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, a move aimed at restricting certain types of foreign workers. The H-1B visa allows foreign professionals to work in the U.S. for three years, with a possible three-year renewal. Economists argue the program helps U.S. companies remain competitive while creating domestic jobs.
In another part of the Fox News interview, Trump defended the enrollment of Chinese students in U.S. universities while taking a swipe at France. “I actually think it’s good to have outside countries,” he said. Ingraham responded that Chinese students could pose a risk because of intellectual property concerns. Trump replied, “Do you think the French are better?” Ingraham said yes, and Trump said, “I’m not so sure.”
Trump’s remarks highlight his position that skilled foreign workers are necessary to support specialized industries in the United States, despite ongoing efforts to reduce immigration and prioritize domestic employment.
