Washington — President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his abrupt reversal on Chinese student visas, insisting that granting entry to more than 600,000 students over the next two years was “the right thing to do,” even as voices within his own Republican base erupted in anger.
A right-wing outlet long considered sympathetic to Trump, the US president said it would be “insulting” to bar students from China, citing his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the financial benefits that Chinese tuition brings to smaller American universities.
“I think it’s very insulting to a country when you say you’re not going to take your students,” Trump said, stressing that Chinese students generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the American economy. He added, “It’s good to get along with countries, not bad, especially nuclear-powered countries.”
The remarks stand in sharp contrast to the hardline stance his administration promoted only months ago, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to “aggressively” revoke Chinese visas, particularly for students with ties to the Communist Party or those studying sensitive technologies. That rhetoric was framed within the broader context of Washington’s trade war with Beijing, a conflict triggered by Trump’s own tariffs.
The sudden policy reversal has enraged figures within the MAGA movement. Fox host Laura Ingraham accused the White House of displacing “600,000 spots that American kids won’t get,” while far-right activist Laura Loomer dismissed the students as “Communist spies.” Former strategist Steve Bannon and other hardliners have also questioned why Trump, who built his campaign on nationalist slogans, is now opening doors to what they see as a security risk.
Higher education leaders, however, welcomed the announcement. For many American universities grappling with declining domestic enrollment, international tuition, particularly from China, remains a vital source of funding. Analysts note that without these students, entire departments at smaller colleges could face closures.
Still, contradictions remain. Reports have surfaced of Chinese students being detained and deported at US airports, a signal that enforcement at the border does not yet match the softer rhetoric from the Oval Office. Critics say this reveals an administration attempting to court China diplomatically while still appeasing domestic hawks on national security.
According to Politico, the White House has since clarified that the figure of 600,000 does not represent an increase, but rather a continuation of student visa levels already issued in recent years. The gesture, while largely symbolic, underscores Trump’s growing reliance on transactional diplomacy with Beijing as he balances political pressure from within his party and the financial needs of America’s higher education system.
