Why does Trump seem so relaxed while his MAGA movement falls into chaos? Right now, far-right supporters, tech leaders, and even Trump’s closest allies are clashing online. The issue? Immigration policies, especially the H-1B visa program for skilled foreign workers. While his base fights and tensions rise, Trump is golfing, ignoring the storm brewing in his movement.
Trump while President Elon Musk is deciding what MAGA supporters to suspend and demonetize on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/Tyqh7X4o1t
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 27, 2024
It all started with Laura Loomer, a far-right activist, attacking Trump’s decision to appoint Sriram Krishnan as his senior adviser on artificial intelligence. Loomer criticized Krishnan for supporting policies that would bring in more skilled foreign workers, calling it “in direct opposition” to Trump’s agenda. She even referred to Indian workers as “third-world invaders” and said the tech industry was creating a “civil war” within the MAGA movement.
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The H-1B visa program has always been a point of tension. It allows skilled foreign workers to come to the U.S. for up to six years. Tech companies rely on it heavily to bring in top talent. Elon Musk, who once held an H-1B visa himself, defended the program, saying,
“The number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low.” He added, “If you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be.”
Vivek Ramaswamy, who will co-lead a government spending commission under Trump, also supported Musk’s views.
“’Normalcy’ doesn’t cut it in a hyper-competitive global market for technical talent,” he said. “And if we pretend like it does, we’ll have our a–es handed to us by China.”
But Loomer and other MAGA loyalists, like former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, fired back. Haley wrote on X, “There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture. We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers.”
The debate is exposing cracks in Trump’s coalition. Musk and other Silicon Valley leaders argue that America must embrace skilled immigration to compete globally. Meanwhile, Loomer and some MAGA supporters see this as a betrayal of Trump’s “America First” message.
The online fight got ugly fast. Loomer claimed Musk retaliated against her by removing her verification and premium subscriber privileges on X. She called him “quite totalitarian” and said, “So much for free speech.” A screenshot even surfaced suggesting her account was flagged for violating rules about “posting other people’s private information,” but this hasn’t been verified.
Adding fuel to the fire, Brenden Dilley, a pro-Trump podcaster, criticized Ramaswamy, saying,
“I always love when these tech bros flat out tell you that they have zero understanding of American culture and then have the gall to tell you that YOU are the problem with America.”
Trump, however, hasn’t commented on the feud. Instead, a video shared by PatriotTakes shows him playing golf. The caption mocked him, saying, “Trump while President Elon Musk is deciding what MAGA supporters to suspend and demonetize on Twitter.” The video has gone viral, with many pointing out how Trump seems completely detached from the drama in his movement.
The stakes for immigration policy are high, especially in the tech industry. A 2023 analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy revealed that 28 of the top 43 AI companies in the U.S. were co-founded by immigrants. Additionally, 70% of full-time graduate students in AI-related fields are international students. Without skilled foreign workers, experts warn that the U.S. could lose its competitive edge to countries like China.
Ro Khanna, a Democratic congressman representing Silicon Valley, defended Krishnan and the H-1B program, saying, “We should celebrate that immigrants like Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, and Sriram Krishnan choose to come to the United States. This has fueled our economic and technology preeminence.”
Trump’s history with immigration is complicated. During his first term, he restricted H-1B visas and froze them temporarily during the pandemic, claiming it would help unemployed Americans. But he also said on the “All In” podcast, “If you graduate or you get a doctorate degree from a college, you should be able to stay in this country.” This mix of tough restrictions and pro-immigration rhetoric has left both sides uncertain about his true stance.
Trump’s ability to hold his coalition together is being tested like never before. The infighting between far-right activists, tech leaders, and his own team could weaken the very foundation of his support.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
