Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Trump Honours Six Tech Leaders With National Medals
President Donald Trump gave awards to six leaders in technology and science at the White House.
Four received the National Medal of Science, and two received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
The awards recognised work in areas such as computing, semiconductors, cloud services and space.
The White House said the administration wants to advance American science and technology.
Trump also mentioned goals including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, nuclear energy and space exploration.
One report noted that five of the six recipients were born outside the United States.
It also reported that the government had suspended processing some companies’ applications connected to employment-based green cards.
Microsoft said most of its recent H-1B applications were for existing employees, not new hires.
Donald Trump presented national science and technology medals to six technology leaders at the White House’s Science: A New Golden Age Summit.
Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang and Lisa Su received the National Medal of Science.
Michael Dell and Satya Nadella received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
The White House said the awards recognise contributions to science and technology; Trump highlighted goals including AI, quantum computing, nuclear energy and space exploration.
A separate report said five honorees were born outside the United States; the awards coincided with a suspension of certain companies’ PERM green-card application processing.
- Who
- President Donald Trump presented medals to Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang, Lisa Su, Michael Dell and Satya Nadella.
- What
- Four received the National Medal of Science; Dell and Nadella received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
- When
- Thursday, local time; the articles do not specify a calendar date for the ceremony.
- Where
- The White House, Washington.
- Why
- The awards recognised contributions to science and technology; the White House said the administration seeks to strengthen US scientific and technological leadership.
Administration’s stated rationale
Company response and reported context
Suspension of PERM applications
Administration’s stated rationale
The administration said its action was intended to protect American workers and address alleged abuses of immigration programmes.
Company response and reported context
Microsoft said about 80 per cent of its H-1B applications in the last fiscal year were to extend or change the status of existing employees, and that H-1B employees received pay comparable to other workers in similar roles. The report said the suspension alone does not establish that a company committed fraud.
Foreign-worker programmes and US employment
Administration’s stated rationale
Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of benefiting from foreign-worker programmes while laying off American employees.
Company response and reported context
Microsoft disputed the implication that its visa use was primarily for recruiting new foreign workers and said most of its cited applications concerned current employees.
- National Medal of Science recipients
- Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang and Lisa Su
- National Medal of Technology and Innovation recipients
- Michael Dell and Satya Nadella
- Event
- Science: A New Golden Age Summit
- Location
- The White House, Washington
- Birthplaces noted in one report
- Five recipients were born outside the US; Michael Dell was the only US-born recipient.
- National Medal of Science
- Awarded by US presidents since 1963, according to the White House.
- National Medal of Technology and Innovation
- First awarded in 1985, according to the White House.
- Immigration-related action reported
- The Department of Labor stopped accepting new and processing pending PERM applications involving Microsoft and several technology companies.
Sources
Trump Honours Six Tech Giants With National Medals
Satya Nadella, Lisa Su, Elon Musk…: 5 of 6 tech leaders Trump just clapped for were born outside US
Trump Honours Six Tech Giants with National Medals of Science, Technology and Innovation
