President Donald Trump is under fire from his own base after announcing plans to welcome 600,000 Chinese students into American colleges.
During a meeting with South Korea’s president, Trump said the relationship with Beijing was “very important” and confirmed that hundreds of thousands of Chinese nationals would be allowed entry.
“We’re going to allow their students to come in. It’s very important — 600,000 students,” Trump said Monday.
Base Anger: “Not America First”
The announcement sent shockwaves through the MAGA movement, where many conservatives questioned whether this move fits the America First agenda.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) slammed the idea:
“We should not let in 600,000 CHINESE students who may be loyal to the CCP. American kids should come first.”
Firebrand activist Laura Loomer was even more blunt:
“Nobody wants 600,000 more Chinese ‘students,’ aka Communist spies. China killed 1.2 million Americans with COVID — now they get to replace us? This cannot happen.”
Michael Flynn Jr., son of Trump’s former national security adviser, echoed the backlash, writing online:
“Not what I voted for.”
Even Fox News host Laura Ingraham raised eyebrows on her primetime show, pressing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick:
“How is allowing 600,000 students from communist China putting America first?”
Administration Pushes Back
Lutnick defended the plan, claiming Chinese students help keep struggling colleges afloat. He argued that without them, “the bottom 15 percent of universities and colleges would go out of business.”
But critics say the price is too high: lost opportunities for American kids, campus security risks, and Communist Party infiltration.
Bigger Picture: Trade and Tensions
Trump has repeatedly highlighted his personal ties with China’s Xi Jinping and pointed to ongoing trade talks after both nations imposed massive tariffs earlier this year. He hinted at a possible visit to China later in 2025.
Still, conservatives warn that letting in 600,000 students from an adversary nation could undermine Trump’s own promises to put American families first.