There’s real fury on the right after President Trump’s recent back-and-forth on H-1B visas, and a chunk of MAGA acolytes are lashing out like betrayed voters. What began as a muddled mix of public praise for parts of the visa program and later heavy-handed policy proposals has left rank-and-file conservatives wondering which America he’s fighting for — the working men and women who built this country or the corporate elites who bankroll big tech.

This administration’s move to dramatically increase the cost of H-1B sponsorship — reports say the administration has floated a staggering $100,000 annual fee per visa and even a pricey “gold card” path to residency — is the kind of blunt instrument that shocks an industry and reorders incentives overnight. For patriotic Americans tired of jobs being outsourced or undercut by cheap temporary labor, that sort of pressure on employers can be welcomed if it’s genuinely meant to put Americans first.

But the implementation has been chaotic, and the predictable allies of cheap labor and global hiring screamed immediately. A coalition of hospitals, religious groups, and academics rushed to the courts to stop the rule, arguing the move was rushed and possibly illegal — which only fuels conservative frustration that policy should be tough but also lawful and strategic. The lawsuit underscores the mess Washington makes when it swings between populist rhetoric and clumsy execution.

Meanwhile, some MAGA voices have charged Trump with inconsistency, pointing to past moments when he seemed to back aspects of H-1B or align with Silicon Valley’s needs — a perceived flip-flop that feels like a slap in the face to loyal base voters who were promised protection for American labor. That resentment is real and politically consequential: grassroots activists don’t forget when leaders appear to side with billionaires or with idealistic tech bros over the working class.

Let’s be clear: conservatives should not reflexively side with multinational corporations or with an open-borders Silicon Valley that hires at will and uses visa programs to suppress wages. The H-1B program has long been criticized for undercutting experienced American workers and creating perverse incentives for companies to prefer cheaper, temporary labor — a situation that many see as a direct insult to hardworking Americans who pay taxes and raise families here. Real reform must protect domestic workers first, not enrich outsourcing firms.

That said, patriotism means demanding both tough policy and competence. If the administration truly wants to restore job opportunity to Americans, it should pair any deterrent to H-1B abuse with clear, enforceable reforms that speed skill training, incentivize domestic hiring, and punish firms that game the system. Conservatives should support the goal of putting our citizens first while calling out half-measures, theatrical deadlines, and giveaways to the administrative state that leave the middle class in the lurch.

At the end of the day, loyal Americans want leaders who stop the corporate hustlers and rebuild the dignity of work in this country. If President Trump is serious about reversing the decades-long tilt toward cheap foreign labor, he’ll need to follow through with disciplined, legal, and pro-worker policies — and if he stumbles, rank-and-file conservatives have every right to demand better. The fight shouldn’t be between patriots and their president; it should be a united demand that Washington backs American workers, not big business.