Former President Donald Trump defended his support for H-1B workers on Monday. He argued that the United States lacks enough skilled workers to rebuild its chip-making industry. Trump said Americans “don’t know how to make microchips” and warned that the country must train its workforce quickly.
He blamed the decline of semiconductor manufacturing on past policy mistakes. Trump said the U.S. “lost that business to Taiwan” and called the shift “very foolish.” He predicted a major rebound in domestic chip production in the next few years. He also dismissed the 2022 Chips Act as a failure, even though it aimed to boost American manufacturing. “The Chips Act was a disaster,” he said. Trump insisted chip makers will return and suggested the U.S. could even lead global production.
His comments triggered strong reactions within the Republican Party. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis challenged Trump’s stance and urged Congress to eliminate the H-1B visa program entirely. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also introduced a bill to phase out the program.
Critics noted that the original microchip inventors, Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, were American engineers. Still, Trump remained confident. “The good news is it’s all coming back,” he said.
