President Donald Trump is defending allowing over half a million students from China to come into the U.S., even as some of his most vocal supporters target the policy.
Last week, the president shocked his base when he announced during a meeting with the South Korean president he would be opening the country to more young people from China.
Trump has famously been critical of the Chinese government and threatened to levy tariffs against it.
However, his friendly tone regarding students came as the U.S. engages in high-stakes trade talks to avoid the possibility of a trade war between the two global powers.
In an interview with The Daily Caller released over the weekend, Trump claimed China is paying ‘a lot of money right now’ and bragged about his relationship with President Xi Jinping.
‘I think it’s very insulting to a country when you say you’re not going to take your students,’ Trump said.
‘You know, I get along with China,’ Trump continued. ‘China’s paying us a lot of money right now. They’re paying us hundreds of millions of dollars.’
Trump went on to claim the 600,000 students coming into the U.S. will occur over a period of two years.
Trump defended allowing 600,000 Chinese students enter the country over the course of two years
China and U.S. governments are currently engaged in trade negotiations
Trump announced his new policy position towards China while speaking to the South Korean president in the Oval Office
‘I think what we’re doing is the right thing to do. It’s good to get along with countries, not bad, especially, you know, nuclear-powered countries. I think it’s good to get along with countries,’ he concluded.
Trump’s newfound friendliness with China marks a significant difference earlier on in the administration after Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatened to revoke visas from Chinese students with ties to the Communist Party.
Overall, the State Department has looked to lower the number of student visas and not help expand them for other countries.
The administration has generally worked to curtail student visas, not expand them, as part of the president’s broader immigration crackdown.
Meanwhile, Trump’s tariff negotiations continue with Beijing after a trade war almost sparked off early into the president’s second-term.
In the wake of the new policy, MAGA archenemies Laura Loomer and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) united to condemn it.
‘If we are only mass deporting 1,000 illegals each day but allowing 600,000 Chinese spies to come to our country, how can we call them mass deportations,’ Loomer wrote last week on X.
Earlier this year, Trump imposed a 30% tariff on all Chinese goods, but paused the levies to allow for diplomatic talks
Unofficial Trump adviser Laura Loomer criticized Trump’s friendly treatment towards Chinese students
Greene agreed with her longtime rival by adding, ‘We should not let in 600,000 CHINESE students to attend American colleges and universities that may be loyal to the CCP.’
Back in August, Trump extended his pause of a 30% tariff on Chinese goods by 90-days. Earlier this year, China had responded to the White House’s trade levy by placing a 10% tariff on U.S. goods.