Trump's big statement on foreign students in US amid visa crackdown: I don't want them but 'if we were to cut…'
After a decline in Indian student enrollment amid visa crackdown, Trump defended international students, claiming they are essential for US colleges' survival
In a U-turn, US President Donald Trump defended the practice of allowing international students to study in the US, calling it "good for business" and supporting the nation's higher education system.
Appearing for an interview with Laura Ingraham of Fox News, Trump claimed that reducing the number of international students would be "financially destructive" for American colleges.
"You don't want to cut half of the people, half of the students from all over the world that are coming into our country — destroy our entire university and college system — I don't want to do that," the US President asserted. "I actually think it's good to have outside countries. Look, I want to be able to get along with the world."
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Why is Trump against lowering the number of students?
Ingraham frequently asked Trump if he would be in favor of restricting the number of international students, a proposal that she said would facilitate enrollment for Americans. The Republican leader opposed the notion, stressing that it could result in financial harm to universities, notably historically Black colleges and smaller institutions that depend significantly on international tuition.
The POTUS stated, "We do have a lot of people coming in from China, we always have China and other countries."
Half of the US colleges would go out of business if we were to cut that in half, which could satisfy some people, he added.
In comparison to local students, Trump continued, international students pay "more than double" and contribute "trillions of dollars." Trump further stressed, "I want to see our school system thrive. It's not that I want them, but I view it as a business."
Indian students in US
Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued an order for US embassies to temporarily suspend student visa interviews before permitting them to restart with more stringent screening.
With introduction of Trump's new policies, Indian students are now selecting a wider range of places, according to the OECD International Migration Outlook 2025. Stricter financial conditions and less opportunities for employment transfer resulted in a 39% decline in Indian enrollment in the United States.
However, 331,602 Indian students were admitted to the US during the 2023–2024 school year, making India the country from which the majority of international students arrive.
