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 office holder 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 then stepped in to help Trump Media.

While companies often reach out to congressional offices for help with visa applications, they usually contact the congressperson