President Donald Trump said this week that his administration is prepared to issue as many as 600,000 student visas to Chinese nationals, more than doubling the roughly 277,000 Chinese students enrolled at U.S. universities in the 2023-24 academic year. Trump made the remarks during an Oval Office session with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and reiterated the figure at a subsequent Cabinet meeting, framing the move as part of continuing trade negotiations with Beijing and a sign that the two countries are “getting along very well.” He added that Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited him to visit China. Trump argued that the influx would shore up tuition revenue at U.S. colleges, warning that “our college system would go to hell very quickly” without foreign students. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed the point on Fox News, saying as many as 15% of American universities could go out of business if the students were barred. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from conservative lawmakers and media figures who say the plan conflicts with the administration’s ‘America First’ agenda and poses security risks. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene called the idea a threat to U.S. research and student opportunities, while commentators on Newsmax and Fox News questioned whether the visas would make it easier for Chinese intelligence to access sensitive technology. Trump’s stance marks a notable shift from the administration’s earlier posture; in May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to “aggressively” revoke visas for Chinese nationals with ties to the Communist Party or working in strategic fields. The White House has not detailed vetting procedures for the additional visas nor indicated when the new quota might take effect, leaving the proposal’s legislative and diplomatic path uncertain as trade talks continue.