President Donald Trump’s plan to allow 600,000 Chinese students into the country on academic visas has drawn backlash from several conservative voices, yet it may be a bargaining chip for future negotiations.
Trump said earlier this week, “We’re taking a lot of money in from China because of the tariffs and different things. It’s a very important relationship. … I used so many stories about, ‘We’re not going to allow their students.’ We’re going to allow their students to come in.”
He added, “It’s very important, 600,000 students. It’s very important. But we’re going to get along with China, but it’s a different relationship that we have now with China. It’s a much better relationship economically than it was before.”
NOW – Trump says he’ll allow 600,000 Chinese students into the U.S. pic.twitter.com/8h0S9O1Ib6
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 25, 2025
Trump was also quoted earlier this week as saying, “I think it’s very insulting to say students can’t come here because they’ll go out and they’ll start building schools. And they’ll be able to survive it. But I like that their students come here. I like that other countries’ students come here.”
“And you know what would happen if they didn’t?” the president asked. “Our college system would go to hell very quickly.”
International students have always had something to offer the U.S. economy. But over half a million people from China? Americans have a right to be skeptical.
Is admitting 600,000 Chinese students a mistake?
While speaking with Glenn Beck this week, political commentator and writer Peter Schweizer said the move is likely a deal making tactic, but he still thought it was the wrong move.
“The reason I think that Trump is allowing this to happen is because this is a top priority for [President] Xi,” he explained. “And they’re trying to negotiate a whole bunch of things. But I still think it is a mistake, and here’s why. There’s 600,000 Chinese students that come to the United States. American students going to China is a trickle. This is not about an exchange of ideas.”
“The students that come to the United States are screened [by the CCP] for their political views,” he told Beck.” Their costs are borne by the Chinese government. So when they are here, they are functionaries of the Chinese government. And if they fail to fall in line or do what they’re asked, damage can come to their family. Damage can come to them.”
Why would President Trump allow 600k Chinese students into the US? @peterschweizer says it’s probably part of a negotiation but urges caution: “The students that come to the US are screened [by the CCP] for their political views. Their costs are borne by the Chinese govt so, when… pic.twitter.com/aLbWgphRcw
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) August 26, 2025
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida told Fox News, “There is a significant percentage of the Chinese students; they’re engaged with the CCP. It used to be, they would say, ‘Oh, you bring the people from China, they’re going to love America. They’ll go back and be ambassadors, and China will change.’ But obviously, that has not happened because this has been going on for decades.”
JUST IN – GOV. RON DESANTIS ON TAKING IN 600K CHINESE STUDENTS: “I’d rather those slots go to American students.”
“A significant percentage of the Chinese students, they are engaged with the CCP. It used to be, they would say ‘oh, you bring the people from China, they’re going… pic.twitter.com/6mjpuCC5Gd
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 26, 2025
Even one of Trump’s biggest supporters, GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia wrote on X: “If refusing to allow these Chinese students to attend our schools causes 15% of them to fail then these schools should fail anyways because they are being propped up by the CCP.”
We should not let in 600,000 CHINESE students to attend American colleges and universities that may be loyal to the CCP.
If refusing to allow these Chinese students to attend our schools causes 15% of them to fail then these schools should fail anyways because they are being…
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 26, 2025
Espionage has been a major concern with the Chinese for years. They’ve been caught stealing intellectual property, buying up U.S. farmland, deploying fentanyl into the country, manipulating trade, and have a desire to rule the world.
This debate also comes after news broke about a Chinese national who worked at MD Anderson Cancer center for several years and attempted to steal highly valuable cancer research.
Yunhai Li allegedly tried to steal data, trade secrets, and more, before being apprehended at an airport as he tried to travel back to China last month, according to KRIV.
Li also failed to disclose a conflict of interest about grants he received from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He also worked with The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University — before and during — his employment at MD Anderson.
Is this a glimpse into the future?
In the end, it makes no sense to import that many students from our biggest geopolitical rival. It’ll likely give them a greater foothold inside the country and bolster their spying apparatus.
Only time will tell, however, if Trump’s comments are geared towards achieving a larger goal that has yet to be unveiled to the public.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
