US President Donald Trump, in a significant reversal of his stance, defended the H-1B visa program and said that the country needs to bring global talent for specialized jobs. In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump said that the US could not easily train citizens who have been out of work for a long time to do highly complex jobs in the defense and manufacturing industries without years of training.
Trump admits that America needs foreign talent
When quizzed on his administration’s future plans for the H-1B visa policy, Trump made it amply clear that bringing skilled professionals from abroad is very important to America’s growth.
“We also do have to bring talent into the country,” Trump said, responding to a question by Ingraham on whether easing H-1B restrictions would be a priority.
Trump, when pressed further by the interviewer whether America has enough skilled people, responded candidly: “No, you don’t. No, you don’t. You don’t have certain talents and you have to. People have to learn.”
His comments mark a softer approach compared to his administration’s earlier crackdown on the visa scheme, which is widely used by technology firms to hire foreign professionals.
Indian Professionals Among the Biggest Beneficiaries
The H-1B visa has been a long-standing route for skilled workers, mainly IT professionals and doctors, from India to work in the U.S. Thousands of Indian nationals rely on this program as they pursue careers in American technology and healthcare industries.
Trump’s Earlier Crackdown and New Visa Fee Rule
Contrary to his recent remarks, earlier Trump had brought major overhauls in the H-1B visa system. He signed a Proclamation in September 2025 named “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” placing a steep new fee on applicants.
A filing fee of an additional USD 100,000 has been made a condition of eligibility for any H-1B petition filed after September 21, 2025, per the order. Later, it was clarified by the U.S. State Department that this would relate to new petitions or lottery entries submitted after the deadline and not those already holding visas or petitions filed prior to that date.
Trump’s New H-1B visa policy
Trump’s new comments seem to indicate realization of the balance the U.S. must make between protecting domestic jobs and maintaining innovative industries that rely on international expertise. While this policy on foreign workers has been restrictive in the past, now his statements indicate that he has come to understand that long-term competitiveness for America depends on attracting top global talent.
Also Read: H-1B visa Restrictions: Why Is the Indian Diaspora Staying Silent?
