In a recent interview, US President Donald Trump expressed support for allowing foreign students to study in the United States, emphasizing its critical role in maintaining the financial stability of the nation’s higher education system. Speaking with Fox News, Trump cautioned against the repercussions of limiting international enrollment, which could lead to dire financial consequences for many American universities. He highlighted that numerous institutions heavily depend on foreign student tuition to remain viable.
Trump specifically pointed out the potential risks of drastically reducing the number of students from countries like China and predicted that such actions could threaten the existence of half the colleges across the United States. He stated that foreign students play a vital role in the US economy, contributing trillions of dollars and often paying tuition rates significantly higher than their American counterparts. “I want to see our school system thrive,” Trump remarked, framing the issue as one of business health rather than merely policy.
These statements starkly contrast with the Trump administration's previous initiatives that aimed to restrict international students’ presence in US academic institutions. There have been instances of visa revocations, particularly for students associated with pro-Palestinian advocacy, leading to arrests or deportations.
During the dialogue, when the interviewer suggested that limiting foreign enrollment might create more opportunities for American students, Trump rejected this notion, arguing that it would adversely affect smaller colleges and historically Black institutions that rely significantly on international tuition. He emphasized that cutting foreign student numbers could spell disaster for many educational establishments, asserting, “Half of the US colleges would go out of business if we were to cut that in half.”
In light of these discussions, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently instructed US embassies to temporarily halt student visa interviews, only to later reinstate them with enhanced scrutiny. Furthermore, the administration has projected a new policy framework called the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” which aims to limit international students to no more than 15% of total undergraduate enrollment, with a cap of 5% from any specific country. Such measures have faced significant opposition from major educational institutions across the nation.