The White House stated that President Donald Trump wants foreign companies investing in specialized industries such as the battery sector to utilize foreign workers in the initial stages of establishing manufacturing facilities in the United States.
On the 24th (local time), White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt, during a meeting with reporters, responded to a question about whether supporting the replacement of American workers with H-1B visa holders aligns with the “MAGA” spirit by saying, “The President does not support replacing American workers,” and emphasized that “the President’s statements are being misrepresented.”
Spokesperson Levitt explained President Trump’s policies on tariffs and strengthening manufacturing, stressing that “the President has a very nuanced and sensible view on the H-1B visa issue.” She stated, “The President wants to see foreign companies that invest billions of dollars bringing in foreign personnel to build specialized sectors like the battery industry.”
Additionally, she stated that such personnel utilization is recognized only in the initial stages of building and operating manufacturing facilities and plants, explaining, “Ultimately, the President consistently wants those jobs to be filled by American workers.” She added, “The President has consistently emphasized the principle that businesses operating in the United States must hire Americans,” noting that there have been many misunderstandings about the President’s stance.
The “highly specialized fields like batteries” mentioned by Levitt appear to refer to the construction site of the Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution joint venture battery plant in Georgia, where a group of Korean workers was detained.
There has also been analysis suggesting that President Trump, amid the recent situation, is reiterating the necessity of the H-1B visa to quell the backlash from his core supporters. In an interview with Fox News on the 11th, regarding the situation in Georgia, President Trump criticized immigration authorities for attempting to deport the workers, emphasizing the need for foreign specialists in certain fields, stating, “We tried to bring in 500 to 600 workers in the initial stage to build batteries and teach Americans how to do so.”