2 hrs ago
Trump Honors Nadella as Vance Targets Microsoft’s H-1B Use
President Donald Trump gave Microsoft leader Satya Nadella a major US technology award.
The ceremony recognized people who have contributed to science and technology.
Earlier that day, Vice President JD Vance said Microsoft was being suspended from a program connected to permanent residency for skilled workers with H-1B visas.
Vance said Microsoft should hire more American workers.
He pointed to company layoffs and its visa and green-card numbers.
Microsoft disagreed with the criticism.
It said most of its H-1B applications were for workers already at the company, and the others were for people already living legally in the United States.
Trump also honored five other technology leaders.
Donald Trump presented Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
The award ceremony took place Thursday and celebrated leading figures in US science and technology.
Earlier that day, JD Vance announced a suspension targeting Microsoft in a program linked to permanent residency for skilled H-1B workers.
Vance alleged Microsoft laid off 6,000 US workers while securing 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards last year.
Microsoft said about 80% of its roughly 6,000 H-1B applications last fiscal year involved existing employees, and the rest involved people already legally in the US.
- Who
- Donald Trump, Satya Nadella, JD Vance and Microsoft.
- What
- Trump awarded Nadella the National Medal of Technology and Innovation as Vance announced a suspension targeting Microsoft over its use of a worker immigration program.
- Where
- At a White House-linked ceremony in the United States.
- When
- Thursday, October 8, 2026, according to the article's publication date and description of the ceremony as occurring Thursday.
- Why
- The medal recognized Nadella's contributions to Microsoft and technology; Vance said the suspension was intended to address alleged abuse of the H-1B system and encourage hiring American workers.
Administration’s criticism
Microsoft’s response
Use of H-1B applications
Administration’s criticism
JD Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the visa system and said it should hire more American workers, citing layoffs alongside visa and green-card numbers.
Microsoft’s response
Microsoft said about 80% of its H-1B applications were for extensions or status changes for existing employees, while the remaining filings were for people already legally in the US.
Key facts
- Award recipient
- Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO
- Award
- National Medal of Technology and Innovation
- Suspension announcement
- JD Vance announced a suspension targeting Microsoft from a program allowing companies to seek permanent residency for skilled H-1B workers.
- Vance's figures
- He claimed Microsoft laid off 6,000 US workers while securing 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards last year.
- Microsoft's response
- Microsoft said about 80% of roughly 6,000 H-1B applications filed last fiscal year were to extend or change the status of existing employees.
- Other medal recipients
- Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang, Lisa Su and Michael Dell were also honored.
- Immigrant recipients
- The article says five of the six recipients were immigrants: Nadella, Musk, Brin, Huang and Su.
Quotes
JD Vance
US Vice President leading an administration task force focused on alleged fraud
“Our message to Microsoft is: You’re a great American company, but you’ve got to hire great American workers.”
news18.com
Sources
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