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Former Trump and Ambassador Nikki Haley warned on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s plan to allow 600,000 Chinese students to study in the United States would be a “huge mistake.”
“That would be a huge gift to China and a threat to the United States,” Haley wrote in X.
Haley’s criticism surprised many conservatives who said they did not expect her to take a harder line than Trump on China and the end.
“I didn’t have Nikki Haley’s right to Trump’s immigration policy on my 2025 BINGO card,” wrote X User SA McCarthy, editor at American Plan Magazine.
Trump’s Chinese Student Visa Push Sets Alarm Bells Amid CCP’s Growing Influence
Former Trump and Ambassador Nikki Haley warned on November 13, 2025, that President Donald Trump’s plan to allow 600,000 Chinese students to study in the United States would be “a big mistake.” (Peter Zay / Anadolu via Getty Images)
“I rarely agree with Nikki Haley. I think she’s too big a throwback to the failure of the George W. Bush Era to think,” wrote conservative analyst Greg Lawson. “But, in this particular matter, you are right.”
Some have questioned the economic logic behind the policy. “America has a shortage of workers in tech and we are training foreign nationals?” asked one user.
“HOLT S**T! I don’t agree with anything Nikki Haley said on I don’t remember there,” wrote another. “It’s crazy for the Trump administration to allow about 600k foreign nationals into American colleges – not because they’re Chinese, but because the cost of college is too high. Lower the cost.”
“When Nikki Haley is on your right, you’re making a big mistake,” one user mused.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Trump is now to the left of Nikki Haley,” added another.
Trump first floated the 600,000 figure in August, shocking critics who have warned of a succession of Chinese at American universities. More than 277,000 Chinese students are studying in the US in the year 2023-2024), according to Federal data.
The White House clarified that the 600,000 number has been for two-year visas – meaning the proposal represents a continuation of current policy rather than a doubling of approvals.
President Donald Trump first floated the 600,000 figure in August, shocking critics who have warned of a succession of US university closures. (Mark Schiefelbein / The Associated Press)
Rep. Greene raises red flag after Trump hints at accepting 600,000 Chinese students
Trump defended the program Monday on Fox News.
“We have a lot of people coming into China. We always have – China and other countries,” he said. “We also have a huge system of colleges and universities. And if we were to cut that part, maybe make some people happy, you’d have half of the colleges in the United States out of business.”
“Actually I think it’s good to have foreign countries. Look, I want to be able to meet the world – not the French, though,” he added.
FOX News Host Laura Ingraham pushed back. “The Chinese, they spy on us, they steal our intellectual property,” he said.
“Do you think the French are better?” Trump responded.
“We have a lot of people coming into China. We always have – China and other countries,” said President Donald Trump. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
“Yeah,” Graham shot back.
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“I’m not so sure,” Trump said, pointing to French tariffs. “It’s not that I want it, but I look at it as a business. One thing you don’t want to do is cut half of the students from all over the country coming into our country.”
China’s 2017 national intelligence law requires all citizens and organizations to help the Chinese Communist Party’s humanitarian party on behalf of the nation – a key concern among Chinese officials and investigators could be pressured to steal sensitive information on behalf of Beijing.
