Former President Donald Trump had once criticized the H-1B visa program as detrimental to Americans, however, his social media venture, Truth Social, recently applied for it.
This move by the company raises eyebrows considering Trump's previous efforts to limit the program during his presidency, a stance that some of his allies still support for a potential second term.
TOPSHOT - This illustration photo shows a person checking the app store on a smartphone for "Truth Social," with an image of former US president Donald Trump on a computer screen in the background, in Los Angeles, October 20, 2021. (Photo: CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump's H-1B Visa Application
In June 2022, Trump Media & Technology Group, the organization responsible for Truth Social, submitted an application for an H-1B visa. The application was for a worker with a $65,000 annual salary, the minimum wage permitted by the program.
According to the Associated Press, the company's visa request was approved several months later. However, the company has stated that it ultimately did not hire the worker. Filing for the visa presents a paradox in Donald Trump's persona.
As a political candidate, he advocated for a protectionist agenda, urging companies to prioritize hiring American workers. However, as a businessman, Trump is willing to leverage all available company resources.
Interestingly, records reveal that an investment firm established by Trump's son-in-law and former White House adviser, Jared Kushner, also pursued an application under the same visa program.
Notably, the firm received approval to employ a foreign associate, adding another layer to the discussion surrounding Trump's approach to immigration policies and business practices.
Truth Social's Response
In a statement, Trump Media & Technology Group attributed the visa application to previous leadership, even though the current CEO, Devin Nunes, a former House Intelligence Committee chairman and longtime Trump ally, was already at the helm when the application was initially submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The company clarified that it has never employed, nor does it intend to employ, a worker through the H-1B visa program.
Upon learning of the application, which was initiated under previous management, the current leadership promptly terminated the process in November 2022.
While the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services records data on visa approvals, it does not explicitly indicate instances of revocation.
However, a spokesperson for the Labor Department, which also monitors H-1B applications, confirmed that there were no records of Truth Social requesting a withdrawal.
Trump's White House proposed curbs on legal immigration, including family-based visas and the visa lottery program, alongside his frequent discussions on illegal border crossings.
In a 2016 primary debate, Trump criticized the H-1B visa program, calling it "very bad" and "unfair" to U.S. workers, despite his prior use of it as a businessman.
Three months into his presidency, Trump issued the "Buy American and Hire American" executive order to reform the H-1B visa program to prioritize higher-paid or more skilled applicants and protect American workers.
According to a study by the National Foundation for American Policy, during his administration, government scrutiny of H-1B visa cases increased, with more requests for information and a higher rate of petition denials.
Read also: Donald Trump's Truth Social Is Now 'Woke,' Committed to DEI: Corporate Governance Guidelines Reveal
