President-elect Donald Trump has broken his silence on the ongoing H-1B visa debate, expressing strong support for the program. In a recent interview, Trump stated, “I’ve always liked the visas; I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them.”

Trump highlighted his personal experience with the H-1B program, saying, “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B and have used it many times. It’s a great program.” His comments align with the views of Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Sriram Krishnan, and David Sacks, all of whom advocate for expanding the visa program.

This marks a shift in Trump’s stance, as he had previously criticized the H-1B program and imposed restrictions on foreign worker visas during his first term. Recently, however, Trump suggested that U.S. college and university graduates should automatically be granted green cards, signaling potential changes to the visa program under his administration.

The controversy has also fueled tensions within Trump’s MAGA base, with figures like Laura Loomer clashing with Elon Musk over the issue. Musk, a staunch supporter of the H-1B program, emphasized its importance, stating, “The reason I’m in America, along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong, is because of H-1B.” In response to criticism from “America First” activists, Musk declared, “I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend,” borrowing a memorable line from the 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder.