Trump Says Foreign Students Are “Good Business”
President Donald Trump has described foreign students in the United States as “good business,” even as he expressed reservations about their broader presence. He said that while he does not want unchecked numbers of international students studying in the U.S., the revenue they bring to universities should not be ignored.
Comments on Higher Education
During remarks this week, Trump pointed out that international students often pay significantly higher tuition than domestic students and argued that those fees help support the U.S. education system financially. He said, “We earn trillions of dollars from these students … This is not out of a desire for the students, but rather viewing it as a business.”
He also stressed the need for foreign-students to “love our country,” and implied stricter vetting of their enrolment at elite institutions.
Policy Implications
Trump’s comments come amid a broader crackdown on international student visas, particularly in high-cost programmes and prestigious universities. Earlier this year he suggested capping foreign student enrolment at select institutions and highlighted concerns about national security and economic displacement of domestic students.
While he did not announce immediate policy changes with these remarks, his tone signals a push for tighter regulation of study-visas, higher fees for non-resident students and possibly reduced numbers over time.
