Trump ignites conservative backlash after opening door to 600,000 Chinese students: 'What is this madness?'

Conservative voices oppose proposal to allow 600,000 Chinese nationals into American universities

Cameron Arcand / Fox News 

President Donald Trump’s plan to allow 600,000 Chinese student visas to be issued sparked backlash from the right on Monday and Tuesday.

"I hear so many stories that we're not going to allow their students," Trump told reporters as trade talks with China are ongoing.

"We're going to allow their students to come in. It's very important, 600,000 students. It's very important. But we're going to get along with China," he continued.

Trump expanded on his comments during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday.

"I think it's very insulting to say students can't come here because they'll go out and start building schools and they'll be able to survive it. But I like that their students come here. I like that other countries' students come here. And you know what would happen if they didn't? Our college system would go to hell very quickly. And it wouldn't be the top colleges, so it'd be colleges that struggle on the...Read more and see video here.