President Trump surprised many on Wednesday by suggesting the United States could admit 600,000 Chinese students to American colleges. He argued the move would keep struggling universities afloat, saying, “Without them, our college system would go to hell very quickly.”
The remarks are a sharp contrast with Trump’s earlier stance, when his administration restricted Chinese visas over espionage and national security concerns.
The idea drew immediate fire from MAGA voices who see it as a reversal of “America First.”
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA): “If refusing to allow these Chinese students causes 15 percent of our schools to fail then these schools should fail anyways because they are being propped up by the CCP.”
- Steve Bannon: “There should be no foreign students here for the moment.”
- Laura Loomer: Accused Trump of betraying his tough immigration record, saying the plan rewards China at America’s expense.
Critics argue American schools have become too dependent on foreign tuition dollars, while supporters note international students help balance budgets as domestic enrollment falls.
However, supporters of the idea point to economic benefits for the universities, which typically take in much higher tuition rates from foreign students.
Some, like Eric Daugherty on X, expressed concern in other ways by pointing out one of the many instances where Chinese nationals were acting as spies within the American university system:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed that he would rather see those 600,000 slots go to American students first:
The backlash shows the tightrope Trump faces as he tries to balance economic arguments with the populist instincts of his base.
