Donald Trump. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty At the Thursday-night presidential debate, Donald Trump simply said he was "changing" his position on H-1B visas when he was confronted by his diverging statements on the issue.

Moderator Megyn Kelly pressed Trump on the visas, which allow foreign workers into the US to take jobs in high-skilled specialty occupations.

Kelly said:

Mr. Trump, your campaign website to this day argues that more visas for highly skilled workers would, quote, "decimate American workers." However, at the CNBC debate, you spoke enthusiastically in favor of these visas. So which is it?

Trump shrugged off the question and said he was in favor of the visas.

"I'm changing. I'm changing. We need highly skilled people in this country," Trump said. "And if we can't do it, we'll get them in."

He added:

And one of the biggest problems we have is people go to the best colleges ... as soon as they're finished, they get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately. They're not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brainpower in this country.

Kelly seemed surprised at the ease at which Trump announced his policy change while his campaign website still indicated on Thursday night that he opposed the H-1B visa program.

"So you are abandoning the position on your website?" Kelly asked.

Trump replied: "I'm changing it and I'm softening the position because we have to have talented people in this country."

After the debate, however, Trump issued a statement suggesting that his position on the issue had not changed:

Megyn Kelly asked about highly-skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration: these are temporary foreign workers, imported from abroad, for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay. I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse and ending outrageous practices such as those that occurred at Disney in Florida when Americans were forced to train their foreign replacements. I will end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions