Indian American venture capitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani says she played a pivotal role in influencing President Donald Trump’s softened stance on the H-1B visa program.
Motwani, a Republican Party donor, said she engaged with both Trump and Vice President JD Vance to emphasize how attracting top-tier talent from India could add value into the America. “I have spoken to both JD Vance and President Trump about the fact that people like #RajeevMotwani and I would not have come easily into the US if the current H1B drama had been playing out in the 1980s,” Motwani wrote on X.
READ: Dinesh D’Souza backs Trump amid MAGA uproar over H-1B comments (
Her husband was famous Indian American Rajeev Motwani. Rajeev was computer science professor at Stanford University, made significant contributions to shaping Silicon Valley’s innovation landscape. His work in theoretical computer science laid the foundation for several modern algorithms used in search engines and data systems. Beyond academia, he served as a special advisor to Sequoia Capital, guiding promising tech startups during their formative stages. His influence extended to mentoring entrepreneurs, including the founders of Google. In 2001, he was honored with the prestigious Gödel Prize, reflecting his groundbreaking research and lasting impact on the global tech community.
Asha Motwani said the Trump-Vance administration is receptive to innovative proposals, particularly those tied to technology and skilled immigration. However, she noted that only a small number of high-net-worth Indian Americans are actively advocating for issues that matter to the broader Indian American community. “I spent the weekend in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach and got unusual access to the president with very little effort. I wish there were more people doing this alongside me. Engaging with the current administration in Washington DC is easy and very, very doable. In fact, it is welcomed by everybody,” she wrote.
“Almost one year into batting for India in Washington DC, I am truly shocked that there is not a single other HNI Indian American helping India in DC,” Motwani added.
“When I asked the usual Indian American billionaires why they are not helping our home country, most give the excuse that they know only the Democrats. This does not fly with me anymore. I have lost respect for some friends who on the pretext of ‘not liking Trump & Vance’ are doing a diddley squat for India or US. It is in American geopolitical and economic interest that India is in the American pocket and not with anybody else. We in the diaspora can make this happen and we must put in our effort,” Motwani wrote.
In a recent interview with FOX News, Trump acknowledged that the United States needs highly skilled professionals in key sectors, remarks that sparked swift reactions within his core MAGA base. Some supporters perceived his comments as suggesting that America lacks sufficient homegrown talent, fueling debate within conservative circles.
READ: Trump administration revokes 80,000 visas in immigration crackdown (
In response, the Trump administration issued a clarification, stating that while it supports attracting international students and skilled workers for education and training, the broader expectation is that they eventually contribute to their own countries after gaining experience in the U.S.
The H-1B program has now become one of the most divisive policy issues within the Trump-Vance administration, triggering visible fractures inside the MAGA base. Some hardline supporters, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have openly criticized Trump, accusing him of retreating from his long-standing “America First” stance. They argue that any shift toward welcoming skilled immigration undermines the movement’s core message of prioritizing American workers.