A row erupted after American far-right commentator Nick Fuentes urged supporters to withhold their votes in future elections to pressure the MAGA duo and Trump–Vance administration on immigration and foreign policy.In a post on X, Fuentes said voters should threaten to stay home in the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election unless the ‘America First’ administration delivers on its promises. “The only way to hold the Trump-Vance administration accountable is to threaten to withhold your vote in 2026 and 2028 if they don’t deliver on their promises,” he said.Fuentes then took aim at immigration and foreign influence from countries that make up a large share of the migrant workforce in the United States: “You want votes? Go ask those 600k Chinese students, 120k Indian H-1Bs, and Netanyahu. You haven’t earned my vote yet.” This jibe was meant for the GOP government and its recent stance on H1B visas, where Trump said that the US lacks domestic talent and needs foreign workers to fill in crucial sectors like tech and defence. Furthermore, the American government has supplied heavy amounts of military aid and funding to Israel, which aligns with its policy of protecting the state from geographical threat. The post reflects Fuentes’ long-standing opposition to legal immigration pathways, particularly the H-1B visa programme, which allows US companies to hire skilled foreign workers. He has repeatedly argued that the programme hurts American workers and mainly benefits large corporations. Fuentes claims the Republican Party has “abandoned its base” by continuing to support such visas and has called for the GOP to be replaced with a new political coalition that rejects them outright. He does not align with Democrats either. Beyond H-1B visas, Fuentes often links immigration to demographic change in the United States. He has described immigration from Asia, including China and India, as part of a threat to American identity and economic stability. These arguments sit within his white nationalist worldview, which has drawn bipartisan criticism, including vice president JD Vance and ex-DOGE lead Vivek Ramaswamy.Fuentes has also sparked controversy with remarks about politicians of immigrant background, particularly Indian-Americans. He has questioned their place in US politics based on ancestry and immigration status, comments that have been condemned as racist. He has called second lady Usha Vance, a “jeet.”
