Supporters of US President-elect Donald Trump have clashed with Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and their tech allies. At the centre of the clash lies a polarising issue: immigration. On one side stand Mr Musk and his Silicon Valley allies, advocating for merit-based immigration reforms. On the other, diehard Trump supporters, committed to an anti-immigration stance, see Mr Musk’s positions as a betrayal of their populist ideals.

The fissures within the MAGA camp appeared following the appointment of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian-origin venture capitalist and Musk ally, to lead artificial intelligence policy in the incoming Trump administration. Mr Krishnan’s previous statements advocating for the removal of country caps on green cards for skilled immigrants were dredged up by Trump supporters, triggering a social media firestorm. 

Laura Loomer, a far-right social media commentator, labelled Mr Krishnan’s appointment as “deeply disturbing.” Her criticism, amplified by verified accounts on Mr Musk’s social media platform X, set the stage for a confrontation between the two factions.

Musk And The Silicon Valley Vision

Musk, who immigrated to the United States on an H-1B visa himself, has consistently championed the idea of attracting top global talent. He argues that America’s technological and economic dominance depends on its ability to recruit the best minds worldwide. “If you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be,” Mr Musk posted on X.

Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump’s newly appointed co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency, echoed Mr Musk’s sentiments. Mr Ramaswamy, the son of Indian immigrants, argued that the US culture has long celebrated mediocrity over excellence. “A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ… will not produce the best engineers,” he posted on X.

The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over “native” Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation). A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture. Tough questions demand tough answers & if…

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 26, 2024

MAGA’s Populist Backlash

These positions, however, have provoked a backlash from Trump’s most loyal supporters. Loomer, along with far-right figures like Ann Coulter and former Congressman Matt Gaetz, accused Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy of undermining American workers. One viral post on X accused Mr Krishnan as an “India First” operative whose goal was to “replace American workers.”

Nikki Haley, former US Ambassador to the United Nations, also entered the fray, insisting that the US should prioritise investing in American talent. “There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture,” she posted, challenging Mr Ramaswamy’s critique.

Adding to the confusion is Trump’s own inconsistent stance on immigration. While his first administration imposed significant restrictions on H-1B visas, his recent statements have signalled a softer approach. During a podcast interview earlier this year, Trump expressed support for granting green cards to foreign graduates of US universities. This shift has left many in his base uncertain about the future direction of his immigration policies.