[President-elect Donald Trump vowed to do everything in his power to benefit American workers, but his own businesses have sought to hire more foreign guest workers than any other year on record, according to a CNN review of government labor data. Despite his pledge to “buy American, hire American,” Trump’s businesses, including the Mar-a-Lago Club, some of his golf courses and a Virginia winery, have increased their reliance on temporary foreign laborers over the years.
In 2024, Trump’s businesses received permission to hire 209 foreign workers, nearly double the number they received permission to hire about a decade ago. The workers include cooks, housekeepers, servers, and desk clerks.
Some of Trump’s top political backers and administration picks also have been given the green light to use guest workers this year. For example, Elon Musk’s Tesla and Neuralink startups have requested and received US government permission to hire about 2,000 highly skilled foreign workers.
Trump has said that the seasonal nature of some of his clubs necessitates some temporary jobs that Americans looking for full-time work are reluctant to take. However, some former Trump club staffers who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity said Trump could attract more Americans to those temporary roles if his businesses raised the positions’ wages or offered other perks.
Others have defended the use of foreign guest workers, particularly in places like South Florida, where tourists and seasonal residents known as “snowbirds” boost activity in the hospitality industry during the winter.
Despite the controversy surrounding guest worker programs, the Trump Organization has a long history of using foreign guest workers. Over the years, Trump businesses have requested and received government approval to hire foreign laborers for more than 2,100 positions. The number of guest workers hired by Trump entities has steadily ticked up over the years, with about 2,100 positions filled in 2008, growing to over 200 guest-worker approvals in each of the last two years.
Source link