WASHINGTON (AP) —
President Donald Trump seemingly caught his loyal conservative base off-guard and sparked backlash by saying he would allow 600,000 Chinese students into American universities.
That would be a departure for the Trump administration after it added
new vetting for student visas, moved to
block foreign enrollment at Harvard and expanded the grounds for
terminating international students’ ability to study in the United States.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has singled out China, the second highest source of international students in the U.S.,
saying in May that the State Department would revoke visas for students tied to the Chinese Communist Party and boost vetting of new applicants.
Trump's announcement Monday adds to the confusion about the administration's
restrictive visa policies and its approach to China as the superpowers tussle over trade and intensifying tech competition. It also marks
another divide with figures in Trump's “Make America Great Again” base, who tout an “America First” agenda and had
contested the U.S. inserting itself in the recent Israel-Iran war.
Some of Trump's most ardent supporters — from U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to former adviser Steve Bannon and far-right activist Laura Loomer — rejected the idea of welcoming more Chinese students.
“President Xi would like me to come to China. It’s a very important relationship. As you know, we are taking a lot of money in from China because of the tariffs and different things,” he said. “I hear so many stories about ‘We are not going to allow their students,’ but we are going to allow their students to come in. We are going to allow it. It’s very important — 600,000 students.”
Trump doubled down at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, sitting next to Rubio, where he said he was “honored” to have Chinese students in the U.S. and said they help colleges stay afloat.
“I told this to President Xi that we’re honored to have their students here," Trump said. “Now, with that, we check and we’re careful, we see who is there.”
Is there any truth to this?
What do the MAGA forum members think about this?