Recent comments from Donald Trump suggesting a need for more skilled foreign workers have been put into a new context by Scott Bessent. What many saw as a significant softening of Trump’s immigration stance is, according to Bessent, a strategic “knowledge transfer” policy. This new vision would see H-1B workers enter the US temporarily, with the specific mandate to “train the US workers” and then “go home.”
Trump had surprised many during an interview by advocating for more foreign talent. He stated, “We also do have to bring talent into the country,” and pushed back against the idea that America has enough skilled people. He noted that Americans lack “certain talents” and “have to learn,” which sounded like a major policy shift.
Scott Bessent, however, has clarified that this is not a pivot towards more immigration, but a pivot towards a more tactical use of it. In a separate interview, Bessent explained the policy as a temporary, educational program designed to boost American competitiveness in key sectors.
The plan, as outlined by Bessent, involves granting temporary visas of “three, five, seven years” to skilled foreign experts. Their primary role would be to act as instructors, teaching American workers the skills needed in industries like semiconductor manufacturing and shipbuilding, where the US has fallen behind.
Bessent lauded this “train-and-return” concept as a “home run.” He addressed the skills gap directly, stating, “An American can’t have that job, not yet.” The policy’s goal is to fix this, enabling American workers to “fully take over” after being trained by the temporary foreign experts.