David Sacks (M) and Ro Khanna (R) again defend Sriram Krishnan (L) amid controversy over the KI appointment

The appointment of Sriram Krishnan as senior White House Policy Advisor To Artificial intelligence has sparked a heated debate that goes into depth Silicon Valleys tech titans against the populist MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement. At the heart of this conflict is a growing tension over the future of the United States Immigration policy and the role that foreign talent, particularly from countries like India, should play in shaping America’s technology landscape.
David Sacks, a prominent Silicon Valley entrepreneur and Krishnan ally, has again come forward to defend his friend despite mounting criticism. In response to a social media post on
A community note on the post already made it clear that Krishnan, a U.S. citizen, was chosen by President-elect Donald Trump as an AI policy advisor, but Sacks took the opportunity to further refute: “Sriram has been since a decade of U.S. citizens.” He doesn’t run America. He advises on AI policy. It will have no impact on U.S. immigration policy, and I now wish you a Merry Christmas.

Loomer’s criticism and the MAGA backlash
Sacks’ defense follows a series of attacks from far-right critics, including conservative commentator Laura Loomer. She has been vocal in her disapproval of Krishnan’s appointment, accusing him of betraying the “America First” agenda by pushing for immigration reforms that she said would weaken American workers. Loomer’s criticism focuses on Krishnan’s support for lifting country-specific caps on green cards, which she said would prioritize foreign workers over American talent.

However, Sacks and others have denied these allegations and clarified Krishnan’s stance on immigration. In a series of posts, Sacks explained that Krishnan’s position on green card reform focuses on eliminating country-specific caps that currently result in long wait times for applicants from countries like India, while applicants from other countries face little delay. “Sriram has not said he wants to remove all caps on green cards. He said he wanted to lift country caps on green cards,” Sacks said. “Right now, every country in the world receives the same number of green cards, no matter how many qualified applicants they have.”

Ro Khanna joins the defense
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna also weighed in on the controversy, emphasizing that Krishnan’s rise to a senior political role in the US government reflected the values ​​of American exceptionalism and did not pose a threat to it. Khanna posted at the highest levels. This is called American exceptionalism.”
Khanna’s comments underscore a central point in the ongoing debate: the idea that the U.S. benefits from attracting global talent, particularly in the rapidly developing fields of technology and AI that require highly skilled workers.
H-1B visa Debate and Krishnan’s immigration stance
A key point of contention in this debate is the H-1B visa program, which allows U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers, particularly in the technology and engineering fields. Critics of the program like Loomer argue that it is often abused by companies seeking to replace American workers with cheaper foreign workers. On the other hand, advocates like Sriram Krishnan argue that such programs are essential to maintaining the U.S. competitive edge in global technology.
Krishnan has long advocated for reforms to the green card system, emphasizing a merit-based approach that prioritizes highly skilled workers rather than basing allocations on country quotas. Under the current system, applicants from high-demand countries like India can expect decades-long waits for green cards, while applicants from other countries face little to no delays. By lifting country restrictions, Krishnan believes the US can create a more efficient system that better meets the needs of the country’s technology sector.
Role of AI and global talent in US leadership
As Senior Policy Advisor for AI, Krishnan’s focus will be on shaping U.S. strategy in the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence. Although his views on immigration are closely related to this issue, the broader discussion about America’s future in technology cannot be separated from these debates. Figures like Sacks, Krishnan and Ro Khanna argue that attracting and retaining top talent from around the world is critical to ensuring the U.S. remains a global leader in AI and other high-tech sectors.
However, the controversy reflects a larger divide within the MAGA movement themselves. On one side are the “tech titans” of Silicon Valley, who are pushing for a more open, merit-based immigration system that promotes global competition and innovation. On the other side are the “MAGA farmers,” who believe such policies undermine American workers and put foreign interests ahead of domestic prosperity.