Supporters of US President-elect Donald Trump have clashed with Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and their tech allies. At the centre of the clash lies a polarising issue: immigration. On one side stand Mr Musk and his Silicon Valley allies, advocating for merit-based immigration reforms. On the other, diehard Trump supporters, committed to an anti-immigration stance, see Mr Musk’s positions as a betrayal of their populist ideals.

The fissures within the MAGA camp appeared following the appointment of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian-origin venture capitalist and Musk ally, to lead artificial intelligence policy in the incoming Trump administration. Mr Krishnan’s previous statements advocating for the removal of country caps on green cards for skilled immigrants were dredged up by Trump supporters, triggering a social media firestorm. 

Laura Loomer, a far-right social media commentator, labelled Mr Krishnan’s appointment as “deeply disturbing.” Her criticism, amplified by verified accounts on Mr Musk’s social media platform X, set the stage for a confrontation between the two factions.

Musk, who immigrated to the United States on an H-1B visa himself, has consistently championed the idea of attracting top global talent. He argues that America’s technological and economic dominance depends on its ability to recruit the best minds worldwide. “If you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be,” Mr Musk posted on X.