Is Trump Softening H1-B Stance? US President's Latest Comment Hints At Flexibility

United States President Donald Trump has again expressed a softened stance on immigration and H-1B visa issues, telling a group of Saudi Arabian investors that they could bring their own workers to America and train Americans in return. 

Speaking a day after hosting Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at the White House, Trump on Wednesday said, “If you are coming here and if you find that we don't have people that did (work) before, we are allowing you (to bring people). To get those plants open, we want you to get that, and we want you to teach our people how to make computer chips and other things.”

He made the remarks at the business gathering at a Saudi investment conference. He acknowledged the move could draw criticism, but said he was prepared to “take a little heat.”

“You can't come in and open up a massive computer chip factory for billions of dollars like being done in Arizona, and think you are going to hire people off an unemployment line. They have to bring thousands of people with them and I am going to welcome those people,” said Trump.

The US President insisted that this initiative aligns with the MAGA movement’s goals. MAGA stands for “Make America Great Again”, the campaign slogan used by Trump to reflect his ‘America First’ policy.

“I love MAGA, but this is MAGA and those people are going to teach our people how to make computer chips and in a short period of time, our people are going to be great,” Trump added. His remarks followed as Saudi Arabia has assured $1 trillion investments into the US, which the White House said would deliver “massive returns for American workers and families for decades to come.”

Earlier this month, Trump had also expressed a softened stance on foreign workers during an interview with Fox News. In a Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham, Trump stated that while his administration prioritises American jobs, sectors like manufacturing and defence need specialised skills that the US workforce currently lacks.

When asked if America doesn't have plenty of talent, Trump responded, "No, you don't. You don't have certain talents. People have to learn. You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory where we’re going to make missiles’," he added.

In September, President Trump signed a proclamation allowing a hike in H-1B visa fees to $1,00,000 annually per application. This move had drawn a lot of criticism for potentially limiting access to global talent for American companies. The US State Department later clarified that the hike in fees applies only to new H-1B applications filed after Sept. 21, 2025.