New Delhi:
Supporters of incoming US President Donald Trump clashed with Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and their tech allies. At the heart of the conflict lies the polarizing issue of immigration. On the one hand, Mr. Musk and his Silicon Valley allies stand, arguing for merit-based immigration reform. Meanwhile, Trump’s ardent anti-immigrant supporters see Musk’s stance as a betrayal of populist ideals.
The rift within the MAGA camp emerged after Sriram Krishnan, an Indian-origin venture capitalist and Musk ally, was appointed to lead artificial intelligence policy in the incoming Trump administration. Mr. Krishnan’s earlier remarks advocating lifting country caps on green cards for skilled immigrants were drowned out by Trump supporters and sparked a social media firestorm.
Far-right social media commentator Laura Loomer called Krishnan’s appointment “deeply disturbing.” Her criticism was amplified by Musk’s verified account on social media platform X, setting the stage for a confrontation between the two factions.
Musk and Silicon Valley’s vision
Musk, who himself immigrated to the United States on an H-1B visa, has consistently championed the idea of attracting the world’s top talent. He argues that America’s technological and economic advantages depend on its ability to recruit top talent from around the world. “If you want your team to win championships, you need to hire great people everywhere,” Musk wrote on X.
Vivek Ramaswamy, President Trump’s new co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency, echoed Musk’s sentiments. Ramaswamy, the son of Indian immigrants, argued that American culture has long celebrated mediocrity over excellence. “A culture that admires prom queens more than math olympiad champions doesn’t produce the best engineers,” he posted on X.
The reason top technology companies often hire foreign-born first-generation engineers rather than “native” Americans is not because of Americans’ innate IQ deficit (a lazy and incorrect explanation). An important part of this can be summed up in one word: culture. Hard questions require hard answers, and if…
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRAmaswamy) December 26, 2024
MAGA populist backlash
But those positions prompted a backlash from President Trump’s most loyal supporters. Loomer, along with far-right figures like Ann Coulter and former Rep. Matt Gaetz, accused Musk and Ramaswamy of undermining American workers. One viral post about X accused Mr. Krishnan of being an “India First” operative aiming to “replace American workers.”
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also joined the fray, arguing that the United States should prioritize investing in American talent. “There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture,” she wrote, taking issue with Ramaswamy’s criticism.
President Trump’s own inconsistent stance on immigration has added to the confusion. His first administration imposed significant restrictions on H-1B visas, but recent statements suggest a more flexible approach. President Trump expressed support for granting green cards to foreign graduates of American universities in a podcast interview earlier this year. This change has left many of his supporters uncertain about the future direction of his immigration policy.
