FACT CHECK: Did President Trump ‘Never’ Change His Mind About H1-B Visas?

President-Elect Donald Trump stated in remarks on New Year’s Eve at Mar-A-Lago that he has “never changed his stance on the H1-B visa program.”

Tonight at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said he never changed his mind about H1-B visas.

However, in 2020 Trump said: “As we speak, we’re finalizing H1-B regulations so that no American worker is replaced ever again.”

It would be a shame if this got out. pic.twitter.com/YEUUy9jOkh

— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) January 1, 2025

Verdict: False

Trump stated in 2016 that he would “end forever the use of the H1-B as a cheap labor program.” He also promoted the “Buy American, Hire American” executive order in 2017.

Fact Check:

President Trump has recently come out in support of the H1-B program, stating that he has “always been in favor of the visas,” according to the New York Post. H1-B visas are applied for and given to companies who state the need for specialized talent, which the government describes as “services of exceptional merit and ability.” Trump’s announcement came as a row over the program became visible among right-wing commentators, according to The BBC.

A post on X implies that Trump wasn’t always a fan of the H1-B visa program. When questioned on New Year’s Eve at Mar-A-Lago, the incoming president said that he has never changed his mind about the program. “I didn’t change my mind. I’ve always felt we have to have the most competent people in our country, and we need competent people,” Trump said.

Trump has appeared to have softened his stance on H1-B visas recently. In a 2020 video linked above, Trump clearly states that his administration would be changing regulations so that “no American worker is replaced again.” Opponents of the H1-B program contend that it encourages companies to import foreign labor at a cheaper cost than hiring natives. (RELATED: Did Chippendale’s Get A H1-B Visa For a Dancer in Las Vegas?)

In 2016, Trump stated that he would “end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions,” according to the American Presidency Project.

During Trump’s first term, two bills were introduced that aimed to restrict the use of H1-B visas in an effort to stop the alleged abuse of the program, according to Forbes. The former president also promoted the “Buy American, Hire American” executive order that encouraged companies to prioritize hiring natural-born citizens over foreign workers, while also writing the order aimed “to protect the interests of United States workers in the administration of our immigration system, including through the prevention of fraud or abuse.”

The Biden administration passed new rules to “modernize” the H1-B program, which the incoming administration will apparently keep.