In a lengthy discussion about trade and immigration policy in Thursday’s GOP debate, Donald Trump said he would write better laws than the ones his businesses have been exploiting.
When asked why voters should trust him since his companies hire foreign workers instead of Americans, Trump said, “Because nobody knows the system better than me.”
Trump said he knew the worker visa programs that he now wants to suspend because he’s a businessman.
“These are laws. These are regulations. These are rules. We’re allowed to do it,” Trump said.
He pointed to other countries’ “monetary devaluations ” that are making it “very, very hard for our companies.”
“So I will take advantage of it. They are the laws. But I’m the one that knows how to change it. Nobody else on this stage knows how to change it like I do. Believe me,” Trump said.
The moderators returned to Trump later on to ask him how long he would like to suspend the H-1B work visa program
“First of all, I know the H-1B very well. It’s something that I frankly use and shouldn’t be allowed to use. We shouldn’t have it. Very, very bad for workers,” Trump said. “And second of all, it’s very important to say, well, I’m a businessman and I have to do what I have to do. When it’s sitting there waiting for you, but it’s very bad. It’s very bad for business. And it’s bad for our workers and unfair for our workers.”
