Trump Won't Allow US workers to be Replaced: White House on H-1B visas
Leavitt made the remarks amid heightened scrutiny of the H-1B visa programme and concerns that foreign labour may displace domestic workers in key sectors
Washington: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump remains committed to protecting American jobs while supporting foreign investment in the United States.
She made the remarks amid heightened scrutiny of the H-1B visa programme and concerns that foreign labour may displace domestic workers in key sectors.
Leavitt said Trump does not support replacing American workers, stressing his focus on revitalising U.S. manufacturing through tariffs and trade deals.
On H-1B visas, she said the President holds a “nuanced and common-sense” view. If foreign companies invest heavily in the U.S. and initially bring specialised workers to launch advanced facilities, Trump supports it — but ultimately wants Americans in those jobs.
Trump has warned foreign investors that they must hire American workers if they want to operate in the U.S.
He recently defended the H-1B programme, arguing that advanced industries cannot “hire people off an unemployment line” to run multi-billion-dollar facilities and require foreign experts to train U.S. workers.
Despite pushback from some MAGA supporters, Trump insisted high-skilled immigration is essential. He said critics “don’t understand” the need for specialised talent in sectors such as chip manufacturing and defence.
Trump argued that the U.S. lacks certain niche skill sets and must allow companies to bring in trained personnel to make advanced plants operational. Some Republican leaders continue to pressure him to dismantle the programme, but Trump maintains strong support for high-skilled workers.