Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, newly appointed leaders of President-elect Donald Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” are facing backlash from far-right Trump supporters over their outspoken support for H-1B visas, which allow foreign skilled professionals to work in the United States.
The controversy erupted during the Christmas holiday when conservative commentator Laura Loomer criticized Trump’s selection of Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence. Loomer called the appointment “deeply disturbing,” citing Krishnan’s previous advocacy for removing country caps on green cards. Her comments sparked a heated online debate between tech leaders and far-right conservatives, who view H-1B visas as a threat to American workers.
Musk and Ramaswamy, both vocal proponents of the visa program, argued that such visas are crucial for maintaining America’s competitive edge in technology and innovation. They emphasized the shortage of domestic talent in engineering and science fields, attributing it to cultural factors.
“Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long (at least since the 90s and likely longer). That doesn’t start in college, it starts YOUNG,” Ramaswamy wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers.”
Musk, who once worked in the U.S. on an H-1B visa, defended the program’s importance for his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX. “OF COURSE my companies and I would prefer to hire Americans and we DO, as that is MUCH easier than going through the incredibly painful and slow work visa process,” Musk posted on X. “HOWEVER, there is a dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America.”
Critics like Loomer argue that expanding H-1B visas contradicts Trump’s hardline immigration stance. She accused Musk and Ramaswamy of undermining Trump’s immigration policies for personal gain. “We are substituting a third world migrant invasion for a third world tech invasion. Same shit,” Loomer wrote on X. “Except this invasion won’t be done by rapist foreigners who look and smell like garbage. It will be done by career leftist tech billionaires who hate Trump deep down inside.”
Musk countered by pointing out the program’s rigorous vetting process and likened attracting top engineering talent to recruiting foreign-born sports stars for American teams. “This is like bringing in the Jokic’s or Wemby’s of the world to help your whole team (which is mostly Americans!) win the NBA,” Musk wrote, referencing basketball stars Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama.
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley joined the fray, siding with critics of the visa program and urging the prioritization of American workers over foreign hires.
The dispute underscores a growing rift among conservatives over immigration policy and tech industry practices. As the debate unfolds, Musk and Ramaswamy remain steadfast in their support for H-1B visas, arguing that the program is essential for sustaining America’s technological leadership.
