Trump urges US tech firms to halt overseas hiring, focus on Americans

US President Donald Trump has urged major tech companies like Google and Microsoft to halt overseas hiring, including from countries like India.

Speaking at an AI Summit in Washington on Wednesday (July 23), he stressed that American firms must now prioritise jobs for US citizens instead of outsourcing work or expanding operations abroad, according to an India Today report.

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'Those days are over'

Trump criticised what he called the tech sector’s “globalist mindset” and said that this approach contributed to the economic neglect of American workers.

He accused companies of profiting from American freedom while investing heavily outside the country.

"Many of our largest tech companies have reaped the blessings of American freedom while building their factories in China, hiring workers in India, and stashing profits in Ireland, you know that. Under President Trump, those days are over," he said.

Executive orders signed

"Winning the AI race will demand a new spirit of patriotism and national loyalty in Silicon Valley and long beyond Silicon Valley," Trump said.

"We need US technology companies to be all in for America. We want you to put America first. You have to do that. That's all we ask," he added.

Trump signed three executive orders related to artificial intelligence during the summit.

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AI infra push

One of the orders outlines a national strategy to boost AI development in the US and eliminate obstacles that could slow down the country’s progress.

Titled 'Winning the Race', the plan aims to make America a leader in AI by accelerating the development of datacentres and related infrastructure.

It aims to make it easier for companies to build the infrastructure needed for AI.

Ban on 'woke' AI

The second order applies to companies receiving federal AI funding. These firms must now ensure their AI tools are politically neutral.

Trump openly rejected the idea of “woke” AI models and blamed the previous administration’s focus on diversity and inclusion, which he said slowed down AI progress.

“We are getting rid of woke,” he declared, insisting AI must be accurate ,not influenced by ideology. This rule also applies to AI systems used by government agencies.

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Rebranding AI

Trump also said he disliked the term “artificial intelligence” and preferred something that captures the power and intelligence of the technology better. “It’s not artificial, it’s genius,” he quipped.

The third order focuses on helping American-made AI tools in the global market. It aims to enhance their export by supporting the full-stack development of AI within the US.

While these changes may not have an immediate impact, they signal a shift in US tech policy that could hurt Indian IT professionals and outsourcing firms if Trump secures another term.