Donald Trump awards Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella hours after H-1B visa program freeze

On Thursday, President Donald Trump honored six prominent tech leaders, including Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella, with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. This event took place just hours after Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of violating the H-1B visa program by misusing it to replace American workers with foreign talent.

Vance's comments came during his own news conference, where he emphasized that Microsoft, as a US-based company, should prioritize hiring domestic employees. Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, employs over 223,000 people globally and utilizes H-1B visas for its workforce. The president did not mention Microsoft's practices during his remarks, focusing instead on the recipients' contributions to American innovation.