Trump backer helped foreign media exec ‘jump the line’ to get visa – despite GOP push for companies to hire Americans
A member of Congress and Trump backer stepped in to help the social media company owned by former President Donald Trump jump the line to get a foreign-worker visa for a company executive, according to an investigation by ProPublica.
The former director of special projects for Republican Nebraska Representative Don Bacon claims she was told to help Trump Media even though she believed it was inappropriate. Bacon suggested she “needed to deal with it” when she raised concerns.
The former staffer later said ProPublica “misrepresented” what she said.
Trump Media makes up about half of the former president’s net worth. It’s the first known time an officeholder has helped Trump privately in connection to the social media firm.
While nothing about obtaining the visa was illegal, it goes against Trump’s own policies and public statements. The Trump administration pushed US companies to hire Americans and put in place policies that made it more difficult to get visas for skilled workers.
Similarly, Trump’s 2024 platform states that it will “strengthen” policies to “buy … and hire American.”
A person with knowledge of the situation told ProPublica that a North Macedonian software developer was partly selected for the executive role because US candidates were more expensive. Vladimir Novachki had already been approved for a visa, with the help of Trump Media, when the firm contacted Bacon’s office.
However, a backlog at the US embassy in North Macedonia was causing severe delays in scheduling an interview, which is needed in order to finalize the process.
Bacon’s office then stepped in to help Trump Media, according to ProPublica.
While companies often reach out to congressional offices for help with visa applications, they usually contact the congressperson for their district. Trump Media is located in Sarasota, Florida.
A spokesperson for Bacon cited privacy concerns when telling ProPublica that they couldn’t discuss case details, but said that Trump Media was not afforded special treatment. They added that the request came from a Trump Media staffer residing in Bacon’s Nebraska district.
“This case was not treated any differently than the hundreds of cases we process every year,” the spokesperson said.
“Politics don’t come into play for official congressional work.”
Bacon spokesperson Danielle Jensen told The Independent in an email that “Trump Media didn’t ask our office to do anything. A constituent of NE02 reached out seeking assistance for one of his employees.”
