Amid growing tension between the US government and the academic community, President Donald Trump has assured Chinese students currently studying in the United States that they will be safe despite recent visa restrictions targeting them.
Speaking to reporters late Friday, Trump said, “They’re going to be okay. It’s going to work out fine,” when asked what message he had for Chinese international students. He added, “We just want to check out the individual students we have. And that’s true with all colleges.”
His comments come after a week of rising concerns over the Trump administration’s actions toward foreign students, especially those from China. This week, the government announced new restrictions and checks specifically aimed at Chinese students in American universities, raising fears of possible mass deportations and visa cancellations.
The administration’s harder stance was highlighted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who vowed on Wednesday to “aggressively” revoke visas. Thousands of student visas have already been withdrawn, with some reportedly linked to students’ involvement in protests critical of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Other visa cancellations were connected to minor offenses, such as traffic violations.
Meanwhile, a federal judge on Thursday extended a temporary block on Trump’s attempt to stop Harvard University from enrolling new international students. This court action follows a bitter standoff between the Trump administration and top US universities, particularly Harvard.
The government has demanded that Harvard submit a list of specific students it is interested in vetting. Harvard has refused to comply, citing student privacy and academic freedom.
“I don’t know why Harvard’s not giving us the list,” Trump said on Friday. “They ought to give us a list and get themselves out of trouble. They don’t want to give the list because they have names on there that supposedly are quite bad.”
At Harvard’s graduation ceremony earlier this week, university president Alan Garber received a standing ovation when he urged schools to stand strong against what he called a government attack on students and institutions of learning.
“We want people that can love our country and take care of our country and cherish our country,” Trump said, reinforcing the administration’s position that student visas should only go to those who align with US values.
International students make up just under six percent of the total US university population. This is much lower than the UK, the world’s second-most popular destination for international students, where about 25 percent of the student body comes from abroad.
The growing visa tension, especially involving Chinese nationals, comes at a time when US-China relations remain strained over trade, technology, and global influence. Many education experts worry the pressure could discourage international students from choosing the US for their studies, potentially affecting universities financially and academically.
