President Donald Trump has moved to grant 600,000 visas to Chinese nationals seeking to study at U.S. universities, describing Beijing as “a very important partner” and insisting student exchanges should not be caught in wider trade disputes. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the initiative during an interview on Fox News, warning that "the bottom 15% of colleges would go out of business" without tuition revenue from Chinese students. He framed the policy as an economic lifeline for smaller institutions facing falling domestic enrollment. The proposal has drawn swift pushback from conservative commentators and politicians who cite national-security risks. Fox News host Laura Ingraham challenged Lutnick on whether the influx is compatible with the administration’s “America First” agenda, while activist Laura Loomer and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene argued the visas could open the door to Chinese government influence and espionage. The decision marks a sharp reversal of a May order by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to tighten visa scrutiny for Chinese nationals linked to the Communist Party. It also lands amid heightened tensions over technology theft and the 145% tariff Washington imposed on Chinese goods in April. Trump has threatened even steeper duties if China restricts exports of rare-earth magnets, but he maintains that academic exchanges should continue.