Why Trump's pic with Physics Olympiad team is causing furore
What's the story
A photograph of US President Donald Trump with the 2025 US Physics Olympiad team sparked a debate on immigration and meritocracy. The image was shared by Trump's assistant Michael Kratsios on X. It showed Trump with five immigrant-origin students who won five gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad in July, marking their "greatest performance in team history." The photo has drawn attention to Trump's immigration policies, especially his decision to impose a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applicants.
Policy backlash
Photo highlights contradiction in Trump's policies
Critics argue that these policies could hinder the contributions of such talented individuals to the US. Social media users pointed out this contradiction, with one user writing, "This picture alone should be enough to explain why H-1B program is important for US." Another wrote, "LOL! Zero 'ethnic white Americans' on the physics team. One Russian, one Indian, and the rest Chinese—all non-white, immigrants of the 3 most hated countries in this country."
Team profile
Agastya Goel is an Indian-origin student
The five-member US Physics team included Agastya Goel, Allen Li, Joshua Wang, Feodor Yevtushenko, and Brian Zhang. Among them, Goel is an Indian-origin student whose father is a Harvard professor. He studies at Henry M Gunn High School in Palo Alto, California. Apart from his academic pursuits in physics, he participates in various school activities including tennis and choir.
Policy defense
H-1B visa policy defended by US Commerce Secretary
Trump's H-1B visa policy has been defended by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf. Lutnick said the move is intended to protect American jobs by discouraging firms from training foreign workers. Meanwhile, Scharf argued that only the most skilled workers who cannot be replaced by Americans will be allowed entry under this policy.