U.S. President Donald Trump has emphasized that rebuilding American manufacturing requires the help of skilled foreign workers in response to criticism from his base.

Trump devoted much of his speech at the U.S.–Saudi Investment Forum in Washington on Wednesday to explaining why foreign investors building factories in the United States must be allowed to bring in skilled workers from overseas.

Trump cited a recent immigration raid at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, saying he told authorities to "stop it" and "not to be stupid." He added that the issue had been resolved and that South Korean workers are now training U.S. citizens.

He said facilities such as the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company semiconductor plant under construction in Arizona require thousands of foreign experts, which he would welcome.

Trump said that accepting skilled foreign workers aligns with his "Make America Great Again" slogan because such workers can train U.S. citizens to make computer chips.