Trump has just launched a blatant attack on China by announcing plans to aggressively revoke visas of Chinese students, particularly those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in strategically sensitive fields like advance tech and data science.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Wednesday that the State Department, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, will implement stricter visa scrutiny measures.

These changes are set to impact **both current Chinese students and future applicants from mainland China and Hong Kong.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. will enhance security by closely monitoring academic access for individuals connected to the CCP or working in critical innovation sectors."

Escalating U.S.-China Tensions

The announcement comes against the backdrop of a broader U.S.-China conflict that has spilled over from trade and technology into education and academic mobility.

The U.S. had over 280,000 Chinese students enrolled at its universities in the previous year, many of whom now face uncertainty over their immigration status.

China’s foreign ministry condemned the visa policy shift, urging Washington to safeguard the rights of international students and pursue a more constructive diplomatic path.

U.S. Embassies around the world have also been instructed to pause new student visa appointment scheduling as the U.S. prepares to expand social media background checks on applicants.

Previously scheduled interviews will proceed, but the added scrutiny could severely limit future enrollment of Chinese nationals—once the largest international student group in the U.S.

Backlash from Universities and Students

The policy shift has drawn strong pushback from academic institutions. Harvard University, among others, warned in a court filing that such actions could cause “irreparable harm” to universities and their student communities.

“Without us, Harvard is not Harvard,” said one international student in a now-viral video response to the visa crackdown.

Students from China and other countries report heightened anxiety, with some canceling graduation trips or transferring to schools in more welcoming jurisdictions.

A University of Pennsylvania student from Shanghai told the BBC,

"I already regret applying to study in the U.S."

Courts and Controversy

The Trump administration has faced multiple legal hurdles in its attempts to implement hardline immigration policies affecting academia.

Courts have temporarily blocked previous efforts to deport foreign students or strip institutions like Harvard of the ability to host them.

Critics argue the administration’s moves are politically motivated, targeting elite universities perceived as liberal strongholds.

The White House has also accused the judiciary of bias, further deepening institutional divides.