Washington: US president Donald Trump has once again spoken out against hiring of Indians by top tech firms like Google, Microsoft and Apple. They should work towards creating more jobs for Americans, Trump said. This will be an effort towards reclaiming control over the country’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) future.
Trump was addressing a national AI summit when he hit out at top US companies for shifting operations overseas and depending heavily on foreign engineers.
“Many of our largest tech companies have reaped the blessings of American freedom while building their factories in China, hiring workers in India and stashing profits in Ireland,” he said, adding: “Under President Trump, those days are over.”
Though no official restrictions have not been announced, the US president’s statements will have an impact on the US-based firms that rely on offshore talent, particularly from India, for engineering, software development, and AI roles.
Trump, during the day, unveiled three executive orders aimed at cementing the US’s leadership in artificial intelligence. The first, under a national strategy dubbed “Winning the Race,” outlines plans to fast-track AI infrastructure development within the country by easing regulations on data centres and digital facilities.
The second order mandates that AI systems developed with federal funding must remain ideologically neutral. Trump said his administration would no longer support “woke” technology, accusing earlier policies that focused on diversity and inclusion of “slowing down innovation.”
“We are getting rid of woke,” Trump said. “AI must be accurate and not influenced by ideology.”
The third order supports the export of US-built AI products and seeks to reduce dependence on foreign platforms and supply chains. The overall thrust of the orders is to build, regulate, and deploy AI domestically—with a strong preference for US-based talent.
US tech firms have invested heavily on engineering hubs in cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad. American companies find it cost effective and more efficient to outsource software development, cloud support and data operations to Indian teams.
Indian nationals also dominate the H-1B visa program, which allows skilled workers to take up jobs in the U.S. In 2024, Indians accounted for nearly 74% of all new H-1B approvals, according to official data.
Trump did not announce specific changes to H-1B or outsourcing regulations, but his remarks signal a policy direction that may favour hiring US citizens, especially in fields tied to national security and technological leadership.
While tech firms have yet to comment publicly, the industry has long warned that limiting access to foreign talent could hurt innovation. A Brookings Institution study found that more than half of top AI researchers in the US were foreign-born, many from India and China.
Policy analysts say that while Trump’s focus on reshoring jobs may appeal to domestic voters, it poses strategic risks. “The US built its tech edge partly by attracting global talent,” said a Washington-based researcher tracking AI policy. “Cutting off that pipeline would be short-sighted.”
Trump’s speech has caused unease among Indian professionals already working in the US, as well as engineers hoping to move there. While there are no immediate restrictions, the rhetoric could influence corporate hiring decisions, particularly among firms that rely on government contracts or AI grants.
India’s IT services industry, which includes global outsourcing giants like Infosys, TCS and Wipro, may also face headwinds if American firms begin shifting more work back to US soil in response to political pressure.
