Trump may block IT outsourcing

Washington: American far-right conspiracy theorist and Trump aide Laura Loomer has claimed that President Donald Trump is considering blocking US companies from outsourcing IT work to Indian firms amid rising trade tensions with New Delhi. 

In a post on X, Loomer wrote, “President Trump is now considering blocking US IT companies from outsourcing their work to Indian companies. In other words, “You don’t need to press 2 for English anymore.” She followed it up with the slogan, “Make Call Centres American Again!”. The next day, Loomer doubled down with another post targeting Indian call centres, writing, “I am so excited for President Trump to end the days of pressing 2 for English to speak with someone who doesn’t speak English. Very nice.” Her remarks struck a stereotypical note and immediately drew criticism online. However, Loomer has long touted her influence within Trump’s circle. She has previously taken credit for the State Department suspending visas for wounded Palestinian children seeking treatment in the US, and for a number of staff changes in the administration, often accusing officials of lacking loyalty to Trump.

Loomer has a history of controversial statements, including racist and anti-Islamic remarks. She once shared a video on X claiming “9/11 was an Inside Job!” Despite Trump himself downplaying her influence, several senior officials have exited following Loomer’s criticisms. These include Jen Easterly, the former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; Air Force Gen. Tim Haugh, former director of the NSA and Pentagon’s Cyber Command; and FDA vaccine chief Dr. Vinay Prasad, who resigned after Loomer’s attacks before returning weeks later.