U.S. CONFRONTS A TALENT CRISIS REALITY CHECK

U S President Donald Trump's recent comments about the H-1B visa programme which has long been viewed as a barometer of America's openness to global talent-have triggered a political storm.

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However, treasury secretary Scott Bessent's clarification adds a revealing twist. The administration's goal, he says, is not to replace American workers, but to bring in the world's best experts to train them. It's a striking admission of America's skill deficit at a time when the global race for AI and semiconductors is reaching existential stakes.

The controversy began when Trump, pressed on Fox News about reducing H-1B visas, bluntly responded that the US simply does not have "certain talents" it urgently needs. He was insistent that Americans "have to learn", and the country cannot pull people "off an unemployment line" and expect them to build missile systems or advanced fabs.