Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of laying off American employees while heavily relying on the H-1B Visa program to hire foreign workers. He referred to Big Tech’s strategy of replacing American employees as “bully stories” during an event on Wednesday.
During a bipartisan event co-hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum, Vice President Vance launched a strong critique against Microsoft for its recent layoffs of thousands of American workers. He also questioned the company’s extensive application for H-1B visas to recruit foreign talent. Vance expressed his concerns regarding the ethical and economic implications of such practices.
“It’s puzzling to see a major tech company lay off 9,000 employees and simultaneously apply for numerous overseas visas,” he remarked. “The logic behind this is troubling and doesn’t sit well with me.”
Vance highlighted the administration’s goal to attract global talent while still prioritizing American workers. He remarked, “What the president conveyed was clear—we want America to cultivate the best and brightest. We want them to create strong companies. But that’s not the reality,” he said.
Microsoft is currently under scrutiny for its use of the H-1B Visa program. The company announced significant layoffs in July, impacting roughly 9,000 employees globally. This came after earlier job cuts in May and June, bringing the total eliminated positions to approximately 16,000 from Microsoft’s 228,000 global workforce.
These layoffs sparked social media backlash against Microsoft, as it was claimed that the company had filed for over 6,000 H-1B visas since the beginning of this fiscal year in October. Although this number remains unconfirmed, official data indicates that Microsoft submitted 9,491 H-1B applications in the previous fiscal year, all of which were approved.
The H-1B visa has stirred significant debate among conservatives, especially following Elon Musk’s notable reactions prior to Trump’s presidency.
Vance emphasized that the Trump administration supports American innovation and workforce advancement, rather than relying on foreign alternatives.
