Trump said the U.S. lacks specialized talent needed for high-tech and defense jobs.
He defended the H-1B visa program amid ongoing political and economic debate.
His administration’s new H-1B fee proposal and recent immigration raids drew controversy.
During a recent interview on The Ingraham Angle on Fox News, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States lacks some of the specialized skills needed for complex manufacturing and defense-related jobs. He even cited it as a reason for the need for programs like the H-1B visa. The interview, in which Donald Trump made these statements while defending the steps of tightening and reshaping the H-1B program, was aired on November 12, 2025.
The host, Laura Ingraham, asked questions related to the H-1B visa, pointing out that “the U.S. already has plenty of talented people” and that bringing in foreign workers may depress the wages of American workers. To this, Trump countered, “No, you don’t,” emphasizing that jobs that are highly technical need foreign workers. He further added, “You don’t have certain talents,” suggesting that the U.S. has a short supply of specialized skills.
U.S. employers hire highly skilled foreign professionals in fields like technology, engineering, and healthcare through the H-1B visa program. The program has also been a topic of intense political debate, serving as both a path to bring in foreign talent and a point of contention. Some argue it affects American workers’ wages and job opportunities, while others support it as a means to fill critical job gaps in companies.
There was controversy surrounding the Trump administration’s move to impose a whopping $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions. It was claimed to be a strategic step to reduce U.S. dependency on foreign labor. However, it has met strong resistance from tech and business sectors, saying such measures could hurt innovation and make it hard for U.S. firms to compete on the global stage.
The discussion came amid recent immigration enforcement actions carried out in September, including a widely reported Hyundai-LG battery plant raid in Georgia. It led to the detention of hundreds of foreign workers. A debate has since emerged regarding the smooth functioning of high-tech manufacturing in the absence of foreign expertise. [Rh]
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