JD Vance torches Microsoft for axing US jobs while doubling down on H-1B visas
He spoke at a bipartisan event hosted by The Hill and Valley Forum on Wednesday. Vance questioned the ethics and economics of companies doing mass layoffs but at the same time increasing their applications for work visas, as per the report by Benzinga.
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JD Vance slams Microsoft layoffs and questions need for H-1B workers
He said, 'You see some big tech companies where they'll lay off 9,000 workers, and then they'll apply for a bunch of overseas visas. And I sort of wonder; that doesn't totally make sense to me.'
At first, Vance did not name Microsoft directly but agreed when the host mentioned it and said he had read about Microsoft's mass layoffs. Vance quoted the President, saying the best and brightest should come to America and build great companies, but he criticized companies that fire thousands of American workers and then claim they cannot find workers in the U.S, as stated in the report by Yahoo Finance.
He called this claim 'a bullshit story' and said the math of firing 9,000 American workers while saying they cannot find workers here worries him. On the other hand, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote a memo to employees on Thursday to address the recent job cuts.
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Nadella said, 'I want to speak to what's been weighing heavily on me, and what I know many of you are thinking about: the recent job eliminations. These decisions are among the most difficult we have to make', as per the report by Benzinga.
Microsoft layoffs rise as AI hiring grows
Microsoft's layoffs have been controversial. The second round of cuts in 2025 affected less than 4% of the workforce, about 9,000 employees. The company said these layoffs were part of cost control measures and affected various teams, locations, and lengths of service, as per Microsoft statement.
ALSO READ:
Microsoft axes 9,000 jobs — then tells staff to use AI to cope with the fallout
So far in 2025, Microsoft has laid off over 15,000 people, according to CNBC. Despite laying off many workers, Microsoft is expanding its artificial intelligence (AI) team. The company has reportedly hired about two dozen employees from Alphabet Inc.'s DeepMind, Google's AI research unit, as stated in the report by CNBC.
This hiring has raised questions about Microsoft's strategy during layoffs. In his memo, Nadella reflected on Microsoft's decade-long mission to empower every individual and organization worldwide to achieve more. He also discussed how the rise of AI is reshaping Microsoft's mission and future. Microsoft's stock price has risen 22.5% year-to-date and crossed the $500 mark on July 9, as per the report by Benzinga.
FAQs
Q1. Why did JD Vance criticize Microsoft?
JD Vance slammed Microsoft for firing American workers while hiring foreign talent through H-1B visas.
Q2. How many people did Microsoft lay off in 2025?
Microsoft laid off over 15,000 workers in 2025 as part of cost-cutting measures.
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