Trump says US colleges would struggle without Chinese students amid MAGA backlash

UPDATED: Aug 27, 2025 02:06 IST

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that American colleges would “struggle” without Chinese students, defending a proposal to allow 600,000 student visas as part of ongoing trade talks with Beijing. The statement sparked backlash from conservative allies who see the move as a contradiction to his “America First” stance and previous restrictive visa policies.

Trump, speaking at a Cabinet meeting a day after floating the idea, said: “I like that their students come here you take out 300,000 or 600,000 students out of the system and our college system would go to hell very quickly.” He added that while vetting would remain strict, Chinese students help keep many U.S. colleges afloat.

The proposal marks a shift from earlier Trump-era measures that imposed stricter vetting on Chinese nationals, revoked visas for students with alleged Chinese Communist Party ties, and restricted access to sensitive research fields. It also contrasts with the State Department’s May announcement to “aggressively revoke visas” for certain Chinese students.

Conservative figures, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and former adviser Steve Bannon, sharply criticized the plan, arguing that granting 600,000 visas could undermine U.S. graduates, national security, and intellectual property protections. Immigration groups echoed concerns, calling for tighter controls on students in sectors tied to strategic technologies like quantum computing and artificial intelligence.

Chinese student enrolment in the US peaked at over 372,000 in 2019–2020 but has since declined to about 277,000 in 2023 amid worsening bilateral ties. Experts say the number may fall further due to demographic shifts and rising scrutiny over U.S.-China educational partnerships.

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