Trump calls international students ‘good for business,’ warns cutting them would ‘destroy’ US colleges

The comments mark a shift from Trump’s earlier rhetoric, which often leaned toward restricting immigration and foreign student inflows. During the interview, Trump rejected Ingraham’s suggestion that limiting international enrollment would create more opportunities for Americans, arguing instead that it would severely harm universities, particularly smaller institutions and historically Black colleges that depend heavily on international tuition fees.

“Half of the US colleges would go out of business if we were to cut that in half,” he said, noting that international students pay “more than double” the tuition of domestic students and contribute “trillions of dollars” to the US economy. “I want to see our school system thrive. It’s not that I want them, but I view it as a business,” he added.

NOW – Trump says 600,000 Chinese students coming to the U.S. is a pro-MAGA stance because "you would have half the colleges in the United States go out of business… I know what MAGA wants better than anybody else." pic.twitter.com/uexYM3Xsgw

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) November 11, 2025

Trump’s remarks come as his administration continues to balance nationalist policy goals with economic realities. Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies to temporarily halt student visa interviews before resuming them with stricter vetting procedures, a move that drew criticism from universities and education groups.

According to the OECD’s International Migration Outlook 2025, Indian enrollment in US institutions dropped by 39% amid tougher visa rules and limited post-study work options. Still, India remained the largest source of international students, with 331,602 admitted during the 2023–2024 academic year.