I don't want foreign students in US, but they're good business: Trump
US President Donald Trump defended foreign student enrolments, saying cutting them by half would financially destroy the higher education system
 "I don't want foreign students in US, but they're good business: Trump")
US President Donald Trump on Monday defended allowing foreign students to study in the United States, describing it as “good for business” practice that supports the country’s higher education system.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump said cutting international student numbers would be “financially destructive” for American universities.
“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,” said Trump. “I actually think it’s good to have outside countries. Look, I want to be able to get along with the world.”
Why does Trump oppose reducing student numbers?
Ingraham repeatedly pressed the president on whether he would support limiting the number of foreign students, a move she argued could make it easier for Americans to enrol. Trump rejected the idea, warning it would cause financial harm to universities, including historically Black colleges and smaller institutions that depend heavily on international tuition.
“We do have a lot of people coming in from China, we always have China and other countries,” said Trump. “If we were to cut that in half, which perhaps makes some people happy, you would have half the colleges in the United States go out of business.”
He added that foreign students contribute “trillions of dollars” and pay “more than double” compared with domestic students. “I want to see our school system thrive,” Trump said. “It’s not that I want them, but I view it as a business.”
How do Trump’s comments contrast with his administration’s actions?
Trump’s remarks stand in contrast to several actions his administration has taken against international students. Thousands of visas have been revoked, and students involved in pro-Palestinian activities have faced arrest or deportation. The administration also imposed tougher visa screening measures, including checks of applicants’ social media profiles.
Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies to halt student visa interviews temporarily, later allowing them to resume with stricter vetting.
The administration has also proposed a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” which would cap international student enrolments at 15 per cent of total undergraduate numbers, with no more than 5 per cent from any single country.
How have universities responded legally?
Top institutions have resisted these measures. Harvard University challenged the administration’s attempt to block it from admitting foreign students, and a federal judge prevented the rule from taking effect. The US government has appealed the decision.
In a separate case, the American Association of University Professors and several faculty groups, including staff at Harvard, won a ruling this summer against the administration’s policy that targeted international students over their political views. The judge declared the rule unconstitutional.
The groups are now asking the court to expand the ruling by requiring the administration to acknowledge that the First Amendment protects non-citizens from arrest, detention, or deportation for political speech. They also want mandatory training for government employees to ensure compliance with the judgment.
Their filing cited the October arrest of British political commentator Sami Hamdi, a critic of Israel, and visa revocations for non-citizens who condemned conservative influencer Charlie Kirk after his assassination in September.
“President Trump will always put the safety of Americans first, and it is a privilege, not a right, to study in the United States,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly. “The administration is ensuring that guests in our country are not acting counter to American foreign policy interests.”
What does the data show about Indian students?
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says India remains the second-largest source of international students in its member countries, accounting for 14 per cent of all tertiary-level foreign students in 2023.
However, the OECD International Migration Outlook 2025 notes that Indian students are now choosing a broader range of destinations. The United States recorded a 39 per cent fall in Indian enrolments due to stricter financial requirements and fewer work transition options.
Still, the US hosted 331,602 Indian students in the 2023–2024 academic year, making India the largest source country for international students.