Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and other Silicon Valley allies of President-elect Donald Trump are embroiled in a growing conflict with the MAGA movement’s hardline anti-immigration faction. This clash has reportedly led Musk to strip verification badges from far-right critics on X (formerly Twitter), further intensifying the debate.
The discord stems from recent praise Musk and Ramaswamy expressed for skilled foreign tech workers, coinciding with the appointment of Indian immigrant Sriram Krishnan to a team led by Trump’s AI and crypto czar, David Sacks. This development has drawn criticism from far-right influencers, such as activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer, and has provoked a surge of racist rhetoric targeting Indian Americans. The ongoing online conflict mirrors broader immigration debates quietly unfolding in Washington.
Tensions Over Immigration Policy
Immigration was a cornerstone of Trump’s appeal during his first term, marked by false claims and promises of mass deportations. Trump is expected to revive a crackdown on H-1B visas, a program critical for Silicon Valley’s workforce, as part of his upcoming agenda. This creates an inherent tension in Trump’s inner circle, which includes both hardline immigration opponents like Stephen Miller, his homeland security advisor, and pro-tech voices like Musk, Ramaswamy, and Sacks. The latter group advocates for policies that support skilled immigration to sustain innovation in technology.
The friction became evident after Sacks announced Krishnan’s appointment on X. The post quickly drew attacks from pro-Trump figures. Loomer described the selection as “deeply disturbing,” referencing a prior post by Krishnan urging the administration to “unlock skilled immigration.” One response, highlighted by Sacks, asked, “Did any of y’all vote for this Indian to run America?” Sacks defended Krishnan, noting his decade-long U.S. citizenship and condemning the attacks as “crude” and inconsistent with the holiday spirit.
Musk and Ramaswamy Weigh In
Musk and Ramaswamy escalated the dispute by expressing strong support for immigrant workers. Musk, himself an immigrant from South Africa, argued on X that recruiting top talent globally is essential to success. While acknowledging the challenges of the U.S. visa process, Musk emphasized that America faces a severe shortage of highly skilled engineers.
Ramaswamy, meanwhile, criticized American culture for valuing mediocrity over excellence, using the example of the 1990s sitcom Family Matters. The conversation took another turn when an X engineer claimed in a post that “America wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Indian excellence,” a statement Musk deemed “a little over the top.”
In contrast, far-right figures like Loomer responded by attacking Musk’s reliance on foreign workers and accusing Tesla of underpaying its H-1B employees. Loomer went so far as to label Musk “a total drag on the Trump transition” and accused him of overstaying his welcome at Mar-a-Lago in an alleged attempt to curry favor with Trump.
Allegations of Censorship
The dispute has since evolved into accusations that Musk is suppressing his critics on X. Loomer and other far-right figures claim they have lost their verification badges and access to monetization tools on the platform. This appears to contradict Musk’s previous promises to champion free speech and reduce moderation. Musk, however, defended the platform’s moderation policies by posting a reminder that accounts blocked or muted by a significant number of verified users would see a decline in reach. This underscores the reality that X remains under the control of a private individual whose decisions can be influenced by personal grievances.
This isn’t the first instance of anti-Indian sentiment in Trump’s circles. Usha Vance, the Indian American wife of Trump’s running mate JD Vance, faced similar racist attacks during the campaign. The tensions highlight a broader challenge for Trump as he prepares to take office: deciding which faction’s priorities—Silicon Valley’s need for skilled labor or the hardline anti-immigration stance—will dominate his administration’s policy.
Notably, figures like Musk and Loomer were once united in their opposition to non-conservative tech executives. Musk’s takeover of X, for example, saw former Twitter executives Parag Agrawal and Vijaya Gadde targeted as examples of “bad Indians” by conservative commentator and Trump pardon recipient Dinesh D’Souza. However, both sides remain broadly hostile to immigration outside select exceptions. Musk himself has even promoted the baseless and antisemitic “great replacement” theory.
In 2024, Big Tech leaders have largely avoided antagonizing Trump, wary of potential immigration crackdowns or industry-specific tariffs. X, which has become a hub for the MAGA right, has lost many non-conservative users to platforms like Threads and Bluesky. Meanwhile, Trump’s influential supporters have successfully sidelined much of their opposition within the conservative movement. Now, they appear to be turning on one another, with the immigration debate serving as a flashpoint.
The conflict between Silicon Valley’s tech elites and Trump’s far-right allies reveals a deeper struggle over the future direction of the MAGA movement. As Trump prepares to re-enter the White House, this rift may shape not only his administration’s policies but also the broader dynamics of his political base. Whether he prioritizes the economic arguments for skilled immigration or the cultural demands of his hardline supporters remains an open question.