President Donald Trump has defended his decision to allow 600,000 Chinese students to study in the United States, despite sharp criticism from many of his own supporters.
In an interview with the Daily Caller on Sunday, Trump said China pays America “a lot of money” and that letting Chinese students in was “the right thing to do.” He also praised his personal ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying, “I have a very good relationship with President Xi.”
When asked whether his comments were a negotiating tactic or a genuine policy move, Trump explained that refusing students would be “very insulting” to China. “You know, I get along with China,” he added.
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Trump repeated that China contributes large sums to the US economy, saying, “They’re paying us hundreds of millions of dollars.”
He also emphasized the importance of the US-China relationship while meeting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung last week. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said, “We’re going to allow their students to come in. It’s very important — 600,000 students. Very important.” Trump clarified that the figure refers to students over two years and stressed that the decision was not in exchange for any concessions from Beijing.
However, Trump’s comments appear to contradict his earlier stance. Earlier this year, he had directed Senator Marco Rubio to move forward with canceling visas of Chinese students, particularly those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying sensitive fields.
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Rubio confirmed this policy shift in May through a post on X, writing that the US would begin revoking visas of such students. At the time, Rubio was serving as temporary National Security Advisor as well as Secretary of State.
Meanwhile, the US and China recently agreed to extend their trade truce for another 90 days, just before new tariffs were set to take effect. Trump signed an executive order to maintain the pause until November 10. Under the deal, China will continue to impose a 10% tax on American goods, while the US will keep its 30% tariff on Chinese imports.
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