WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President has made hardline immigration policies a signature issue, but acknowledged on Wednesday that he’s been criticized for recently saying some skilled immigrants should be allowed into the country from his 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥� supporters.
Trump told an audience of business executives that the U.S. needs immigrants who can train domestic workers in high-tech factories 鈥� and insisted that doing so is not inconsistent with his core political beliefs.
鈥淚 love my conservative friends. I love MAGA. But this is MAGA,鈥� Trump said during an address to the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, which he attended with Saudi Crown Prince . 鈥淭hose people are going to teach our people how to make computer chips, and in a short period of time, our people are going to be doing great. And those people can go home.鈥�
The comments drew applause in the room. But last week, Trump sparred with Fox 草莓传媒 host over the same issue. Ingraham suggested during an interview with Trump that 鈥測ou can鈥檛 flood the country with tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of foreign workers,鈥� only to have the president respond, 鈥淵ou also do have to bring in talent.鈥�
When Ingraham said that the U.S. had 鈥減lenty of talented people here,鈥� Trump said, 鈥淣o, you don’t,鈥� and added that 鈥減eople have to learn.鈥�
The exchange drew swift and sharp online criticism from some corners of the MAGA movement, who have opposed expanding , and other programs designed to let skilled immigrants into the country.
That didn’t stop Trump from doubling down on Wednesday, adding that his detractors are 鈥渞eally, really smart鈥� despite their opposition to skilled immigration. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e unbelievable patriots,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淏ut they just don鈥檛 understand our people need to be taught.鈥�
Trump said that when it comes to 鈥渆xtremely complex鈥� domestic plants making things like computers, cell phones and missiles, it wasn’t possible to 鈥渢hink you can hire people off an unemployment line to run it.鈥�
Foreign owners building the plants in the U.S. are 鈥済oing to have to bring thousands of people with them, and I鈥檓 going to welcome those people,鈥� Trump said.
As evidence, the president pointed to the case of hundreds of South Korean nationals who were detained and left the U.S. following a September at Hyundai鈥檚 electric vehicle manufacturing site in Georgia. Some have now returned and are back at their jobs.
Trump said the workers had been ordered to 鈥済et out,鈥� but that 鈥淚 said, 鈥楽top it. Don鈥檛 be stupid.鈥欌��
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