‘Why is Trump going against his own policy?’: Trump reveals his stance in the MAGA Civil War
After MAGA infighting broke out over H-1B visas, Donald Trump came out in support of the visas, which seems to go against his own anti-immigration rhetoric.
The H-1B visa allows individuals to temporarily work in the United States in specialty occupations. Many companies in the United States rely on H1-B visas to provide specialized talent and labor when there’s a shortage in the U.S. workforce. The program has received criticism on both sides of the political spectrum. On the one hand, many are concerned that the program constitutes a sort of modern-day indentured servitude, considering these employees are at a higher risk of being exploited and mistreated. There’s debate around whether a labor shortage exists in the STEM field or if companies are simply trying to reap the benefits of exploiting foreign workers rather than hiring American workers for high-paying jobs. On the other hand, many oppose the program due to anti-immigration sentiments and fears that companies are prioritizing immigrants over American citizens for jobs.
The H-1B debate recently resurfaced after Trump nominated Sriram Krishnan as Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence. Far-right activist Laura Loomer criticized the nomination, claiming that Krishnan’s support of removing caps on green cards and making it easier for workers to secure H-1B workers went against Trump’s hardline anti-immigration stance. Soon, Elon Musk, who has demonstrated considerable influence over Trump, came out in defense of H-1B visas, claiming there was a “permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent” and that he was willing to “go to war” to protect the program. The exchange grew into a nasty feud, leading many to question which side Trump would take in the MAGA civil war over H-1B visas.
Donald Trump takes Elon Musk’s side
Trump recently weighed in on the MAGA feud and, unsurprisingly, took Musk’s side. Trump told the New York Post, “I have always been in favor of the visas. I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.” Loomer quickly weighed in on Trump’s statement, suggesting that it was evidence that Musk levies too much influence over Trump and his inner circle. She told political commentator, Eric Bolling, ” … I love President Trump; I’m not saying that President Trump is bought and paid for — but it sounds like people are scared of crossing the king, the king of the world, Elon Musk, the monarch.”
Others had harsher reactions than Loomer. Conservative lawyer Jenna Ellis called Trump out, writing, “Why is Trump going against his own policies?” In her post, she linked to Trump’s campaign page, which highlights his anti-immigration stance. She also posted a past statement from Trump, in which he stated, “I will forever end the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions.” One MAGA user slammed Trump for his “flip flop” on the issue and stated he was “f*****g up big time.” Right-wing author and podcast host Michael Savage wrote, “Is MAGA DOA? Trump Supports H1 B visas for foreign workers!”
Following the backlash, Trump was asked at Mar-a-Lago why he had changed his mind about H-1B visas. In response, he insisted that he always supported the program and that America needs “a lot of people coming in.”
However, as Ellis pointed out, Trump has spoken out against H1-B in the past as he pushed his “America first” and anti-immigration stance. During his presidential campaign, he relied heavily on anti-immigration hysteria, including accusing immigrants of “poisoning” America. His claim that America actually needs “people coming in” is a far cry from his recent hateful rhetoric against immigrants. At the same time, Trump has always had conflicting stances on immigrants. He claims that immigrants are poisoning America, but his wife, Melania Trump, is an immigrant. He promises to end citizenship by birth, even though his own father was a first-generation American. It’s not hard to believe that, as a billionaire businessman, he has taken advantage of the H1-B program while still claiming “America first.”
The one anomaly in this situation is that MAGA has decided to call Trump out on his conflicting stance. Considering that many have likened MAGA to a cult due to their tendency to mindlessly follow Trump and steadfastly ignore his lies, hypocrisy, and corruption, it is very significant that a portion of MAGA actually criticized him for backtracking on a policy or seemingly giving in to Musk’s influence. The feud has the potential to pressure Trump to reduce Musk’s influence and is also a sign that at least not all of MAGA views the president-elect as infallible.
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