Donald Trump’s base has expressed frustration over his AI advisor nominee, Sriram Krishnan, following revelations about his support for removing caps on H-1B visas. Some see this stance as contradictory to Trump’s long-standing “America First” policy, which prioritized domestic workers over foreign labor.
Krishnan’s support for immigration reform has drawn fire from far-right activist Laura Loomer, who accused him of advocating policies that allow foreign students to take jobs she says should go to Americans. She also resurfaced old tweets in which Krishnan pushed for the removal of country caps on green cards. Despite these criticisms, Krishnan has gained vocal support from Silicon Valley heavyweights Elon Musk and David Sacks, both of whom hold advisory roles in the Trump administration.
Elon Musk, facing backlash for his support of mass immigration, defended his position bluntly, responding to claims about “White men not getting hired” by saying, “We’re just dumb.” Musk has consistently argued for recruiting top-tier talent globally, likening America to a sports team. “If you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be,” Musk said. He’s also emphasized that limiting immigration would ultimately hurt the country’s competitiveness, particularly in fields like AI and semiconductors.
Entrepreneur and political figure Vivek Ramaswamy joined the conversation, seconding Musk’s push for expanded legal immigration. “America-First means we want America to WIN. Playing for second place doesn’t cut it,” Ramaswamy said, aligning himself with the idea that merit-based immigration is essential to maintaining U.S. leadership in technology and innovation.
This debate comes at a time when the U.S. faces a critical engineering talent shortage. The semiconductor industry alone is projected to need 160,000 engineers by 2032 due to $250 billion in planned investments. Demand for AI expertise is also soaring, with Musk calling the current shortage “the craziest” he’s ever seen. To address this, Musk has called for expanded STEM education, streamlined immigration processes for skilled workers, and reskilling programs for the existing workforce.
X employee Kache takes the side of Indians in ongoing immigration debate, mocking Whites and antagonizing them.
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