Trump calls H-1B visas necessary to bring in 'certain talents' that he says the U.S. lacks

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said that in some cases, "you can’t take people off an unemployment, like an unemployment line, and say, 'I’m going to put you into a factory.'"

President Donald Trump defended H-1B visas during an interview that aired Tuesday night, arguing foreign labor is needed at times because U.S. workers do not have "certain talents."

Trump made the remarks during a Fox News interview when asked whether his administration would prioritize the costly visas that allow skilled workers from overseas to temporarily work in the United States. He said the United States has to “bring in talent.”

When pressed by Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who said, "We have plenty of talented people here," Trump responded: “No, you don’t have — you don’t have certain talents. And you have to — people have to learn.”

Trump has touted securing investments from abroad, including those that would boost the automobile and artificial intelligence industries. But he suggested in the interview that some American workers might not be the best prepared for various phases of production.

"You can’t take people off an unemployment, like an unemployment line, and say, 'I’m going to put you into a factory,'" Trump said.