The Brett Cooper Show — Episode 93

Title: What Happened to America First?
Air Date: November 13, 2025
Host: Brett Cooper

Episode Overview

Brett Cooper tackles the turmoil within the Trump administration over recent immigration and labor policies, with a special focus on the H1B visa program and the influx of foreign students into the U.S. The discussion zeroes in on how these decisions have sparked discontent within the “America First” base—especially among young Americans facing a tough job market. Brett interrogates whether government policies are undermining American workers, analyzes the generational and cultural implications, and questions how to reinvest in domestic talent.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discontent with Recent Trump Administration Moves

• Brett opens with palpable frustration over a week marked by controversial policy ideas: 50-year mortgages, $2,000 tariffs, more stimulus checks, expanded H1B visas, and an ongoing influx of foreign students.
• The Trump administration’s contradictory stance on “America First” and reliance on foreign labor is a central source of anger and confusion for conservative base voters.

Quote (Brett Cooper, 00:17):

“I wanna go back to last fall when we were excited, when we were hopeful, when we all thought that we were going to be entering the golden age of America. And yet here we are in possibly the worst week of any Trump administration.”

2. Trump’s Remarks on American Talent and H1B Visas

• Brett spotlights Trump’s recent interview with Laura Ingraham, where he asserts that American workers supposedly lack talent in specialized industries, thus justifying the ongoing H1B visa program.
• This sentiment—“We don't have American talent”—triggered widespread online backlash, symbolized by viral Gen Z reactions and memes.
• Brett underscores the disconnect between the administration’s rhetoric and the struggles of recent graduates in STEM fields, who now face competition from incoming foreign workers.

Notable Exchange (01:49–02:05):

• Laura Ingraham/Kristi Noem: “We have plenty of talented people.”
• Donald Trump: “No, you don’t… You can’t take people off an unemployment… and say I'm gonna put you into a factory, we’re gonna make missiles…”

Quote (Brett Cooper, 02:55):

“We are, we're tired, we are exhausted. And Americans having no talent was simply the cherry on top.”

3. Cultural and Generational Frustration with Policy Hypocrisy

• Brett explores how years of pro-STEM propaganda led young Americans into competitive degrees—only to find jobs filled by foreign workers on temporary visas.
• References to Vivek Ramaswamy’s widely criticized Christmas post and the founder of Oculus Palmer Luckey’s condemnation of H1B as “slave labor” reinforce this sense of betrayal.
• An examination of the original purpose of H1B visas—as a temporary tool for niche shortages—contrasts sharply with its current widespread use.

Quote (Palmer Luckey via J.D. Vance, 06:09):

“You would not believe what I saw when I was in Silicon Valley. It’s obviously a program to try and replace US workers with… slave labor that can’t ever escape.”

Quote (Brett Cooper, 08:10):

“I miss this Trump. He was aware, he was honest. He was saying, this is not good for America…”

4. Debate Over Whether Imports Reflect a Lack of American Talent or Gaps in Training

• Brett questions whether the U.S. genuinely lacks trained specialists or if policy has simply failed to invest in domestic talent.
• J.D. Vance and others argue America can rebuild high-tech competence—as in the space race—if the government commits to training and empowering its own citizens.

Quote (J.D. Vance, 08:38):

“The American space program… was built by American citizens. This idea that American citizens don't have the talent to do great things, you have to import a foreign class… I just reject that.”

5. Economic Arguments for and Against Foreign Labor

• Brett presents Treasury Secretary Scott Besant’s attempt at damage control, explaining that some roles (e.g., semiconductor manufacturing) may require temporary foreign expertise while Americans are retrained.
• Some listeners recognize the challenge of rebuilding after decades of offshoring, while others highlight how history disproves the need to import talent: e.g., women building aircraft during WWII.

Quote (Scott Besant, 13:35):

“…We want to bring semiconductor industry back… so I think the President’s vision here is to bring in overseas workers… then they can go home.”

Quote (Listener, 14:22):

"We had zero experience housewives making aircrafts and tanks in World War II and POTUS acts like we can't train Americans to make batteries."

6. Solutions and Proposals: Reform, Pause, or Scrap?

• Brett considers whether the H1B program should be overhauled or scrapped altogether, possibly replaced by a program with strict and limited parameters.
• Calls to redirect investment from failing universities toward vocational training and trade schools.
• Reiterates the urgent appeals from conservative voices like Charlie Kirk and Mike Cernovich: stop mass immigration, dramatically reduce legal work visas, and “put Americans first.”

Quote (Brett Cooper, 16:44):

“In order to solve this problem, it seems like it should be a totally new program and that H1B still does need to be scrapped and addressed so that Americans, especially young Americans, can get those damn supply chain analysts and manager jobs.”

7. Broader Disillusionment: "America First" No More?

• Brett and her base feel that the current policies mark a stark departure from “America First” rhetoric, with Trump and allies “attacking their own” and prioritizing donor interests or university bailouts over citizen welfare.
• Kristi Noem touts record numbers of naturalizations and fast-tracking immigration, which only heightens base frustration over the perceived sidelining of American workers.

Quote (Brett Cooper, 19:13):

“All we are asking is for you to put Americans first. And I feel like that's not asking for much.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brett Cooper [00:17]: “I wanna go back to last fall when we were excited, when we were hopeful… and yet here we are in possibly the worst week of any Trump administration.”
• Donald Trump [01:52]: “No, you don't have, you don't have certain talents.”
• Palmer Luckey (via J.D. Vance) [06:09]: “It’s obviously a program to try and replace US workers with basically slave labor.”
• J.D. Vance [08:38]: "This idea that American citizens don't have the talent to do great things… I just reject that."
• Scott Bessant [13:35]: “…then they can go home. The US Workers fully take over.”
• Listener (paraphrased by Brett) [14:22]: “We had zero experience housewives making aircrafts and tanks in World War II… and POTUS acts like we can't train Americans to make batteries.”
• Brett Cooper [19:13]: “All we are asking is for you to put Americans first. And I feel like that's not asking for much.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00-03:00] — Viral backlash to Trump’s comments; rundown of controversial policies.
• [03:00-06:30] — Vivek Ramaswamy’s failed messaging; young Americans ignored and displaced by cheap labor imports.
• [06:30-08:10] — Palmer Luckey & past Trump audio critique H1B abuses.
• [08:10-09:30] — J.D. Vance on American talent and the tradition of domestic innovation.
• [13:00-14:30] — Treasury Secretary’s justification for foreign worker temporary importation; community responses.
• [16:40-19:10] — Where do we go from here? Can the system be reformed or does it need a reset? Calls for a pause, and reinvestment in Americans.

Tone & Takeaways

• The episode is a mix of exasperation, urgency, and a plea for coherence from political leaders.
• Brett’s voice is one of generational frustration, reflecting young Americans’ sense of betrayal and confusion over conflicting priorities.
• The show concludes with a call for accountability and a renewed commitment to the original “America First” principles: prioritize American workers, reform or scrap abused programs, and rethink what it means to foster domestic talent.

Bottom Line:
Brett Cooper’s Episode 93 takes a hard, candid look at whether current U.S. policies truly serve the American workforce or if political calculation has undermined the very principles that galvanized Trump’s base. The debate over H1B visas and student imports proves a litmus test for the future of "America First” and the fate of a generation that feels increasingly left behind.