Trump Says U.S. Lacks Talent

Despite his administration’s strict stance on immigration, President Donald Trump has openly defended the H-1B visa programme, arguing that the United States lacks the homegrown talent needed to compete globally. His remarks, made during a Fox News interview with host Laura Ingraham, have triggered sharp criticism from his own political base.

Pressed on whether foreign visas undermine wages for American workers, Trump pushed back.

“You also do have to bring in talent,” he said. When Ingraham countered with “We have plenty of talented people here,” Trump replied, “No, you don’t … you don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn.” 

He added that certain jobs cannot simply be filled by unemployed Americans. “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.’”

The president’s remarks come amid broader efforts to tighten immigration rules, including a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas. This visa allows skilled foreign professionals to work in the US for up to six years and is widely used in technology and engineering industries.

Trump’s comments drew criticism from Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who wrote on social media saying she believes American workers are “talented, creative, intelligent” and shouldn’t be “replaced by foreign labour.”

Trump then fired back, telling CNN that Greene has “lost her way” and is now “catering to the other side.”