President Donald Trump is facing intense backlash from his own base after announcing Monday that he would allow 600,000 Chinese students to attend U.S. universities as part of efforts to improve relations with Beijing.
“It’s a very important relationship. We’re going to get along good with China,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with South Korea’s president. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the move, saying many struggling colleges depend on foreign tuition revenue and that “the bottom 15% of universities and colleges would go out of business” without Chinese students.
The explanation did little to calm MAGA figures, who view China as a threat and higher education as hostile territory. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) warned Chinese students would “replace our American student’s opportunities,” while Steve Bannon said on War Room that foreign students should be forced to leave immediately after graduation. Conservative activist Christopher Rufo called the policy “mind-bendingly ridiculous” and urged reducing Chinese visas instead.
The episode highlights a rare rift between Trump and his base on China, jobs, and higher education — three of MAGA’s most sensitive issues.
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