U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his nuanced stance on the H-1B visa program during a press conference at the White House on Tuesday, stating that he supports the entry of “competent people” into the country. His remarks came during an event attended by Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
“I like both sides of the argument, but I also like very competent people coming into our country, even if that involves them training and helping other people that may not have the qualifications they do. I don’t want to stop…” Trump said, signaling a balanced approach to the ongoing debate around the H-1B visa.
Trump emphasized that the H-1B program isn’t just about bringing top talent into the technology sector but also extends to other fields requiring skilled professionals.
“We want competent people coming into our country. And H-1B, I know the program very well. I use the program. Maître d’, wine experts, even waiters, high-quality waiters—you’ve got to get the best people. People like Larry [Ellison], he needs engineers. NASA also needs engineers like nobody’s ever needed them,” Trump said.
The H-1B visa, designed to allow foreign workers to fill specialized roles in the U.S., has been a contentious issue, particularly among Trump’s conservative support base. While some allies, such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk, advocate for the program to attract global talent, others argue that it displaces American workers.
Trump addressed these concerns by suggesting that the program, when effectively implemented, could benefit the economy and create opportunities for all. “So, we have to have quality people coming in. Now, by doing that, we’re expanding businesses, and that takes care of everybody,” he added.