President Donald Trump is facing backlash from within the conservative movement over his announcement this week that the U.S. will be permitting over half a million Chinese students to study in the country.
Trump told reporters on Monday during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung that the U.S. would allow 600,000 Chinese students to obtain visas allowing them to study in America.
"It's a very important relationship. We're going to get along good with China," Trump said, adding, "I hear so many stories about we're not going to allow their students," he continued. "We're going to allow their students to come in. We're going to allow it. It's very important, 600,000 students. It's very important."
Trump's announcement is a major pivot from efforts earlier in the year by Secretary of State Marco Rubio who stated he planned to "aggressively" revoke visas from Chinese students, particularly those "with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields."
Rep. Marjorie Talor Greene, R-Ga., who has clashed with the president over several issues of late, pushed back on social media writing, "We should not let in 600,000 CHINESE students to attend American colleges and universities that may be loyal to the CCP.
"Why are we allowing 600,000 students from China to replace our American student's opportunities?" Greene added. "We should never allow that. And we need more trade school graduates."
Trump's claim of 600,000 Chinese students would mark the highest number ever admitted to the U.S. Chinese enrollment peaked at about 372,000 during the 2019–20 academic year, his first term, according to the Institute of International Education. The total declined after the COVID-19 pandemic, falling to roughly 290,000 in 2022-23 and about 277,000 in 2023-24.
Michael Flynn Jr., the son of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, posted online that Trump's comments were "Not what I voted for…," while conservative attorney and commentator Marina Medvin added on X, "I don't know a single Trump voter in favor of this."