(NewsNation) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk said he wants to grow the tech industry by recruiting international engineers rather than those in the U.S., but some Trump supporters weren’t on board.
Musk, an immigrant from South Africa, posted to X that there is a shortage of “talented” engineers in the U.S. and companies should start looking to other countries.
“There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent. It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley,” Musk said on X on Christmas Day.
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“The number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low,” Musk said in another post.
Musk will co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which President-elect Donald Trump created for his second term.
The billionaire’s views on outsourcing jobs to non-Americans conflict with those of many Trump supporters who are anti-immigration.
Musk engaged in a back-and-forth online dialogue with social media users who pushed back on his statements.
“There are over 330 million people in America. Surely, there must be enough among them to build your ultimate team?” one user asked Musk on X. “Why would you deny real Americans that opportunity by bringing foreigners here?”
Musk said he “would prefer to hire Americans,” but there is a “dire shortage” in the U.S.
Another user said, “People voted for Trump, not you.”
