President Donald Trump defended a proposal to allow 600,000 Chinese students to study in the U.S., arguing it would help sustain struggling colleges and strengthen ties with Beijing.
“Our college system would go to hell very quickly” without international students, Trump said Tuesday, noting that many smaller schools rely heavily on tuition from abroad. He added that Chinese students are welcome but subject to “careful checks.”
The plan, floated as trade talks with China continue, drew swift criticism from immigration groups and prominent conservatives. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) called it “propping up” universities with CCP-linked students. Commentators including Liz Wheeler and Kira Davis argued U.S. schools should fail rather than depend on Chinese enrollment, warning of espionage risks and cultural influence.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the policy on Fox News, saying without Chinese students “the bottom 15% of universities and colleges would go out of business.” He called Trump’s position “a rational economic view.”
Supporters countered that bringing China’s top students to the U.S. could benefit the country long-term. Podcast host Joshua Reid wrote that hosting “future leaders, scientists, and innovators” may turn talent away from Beijing while exposing them to American culture.