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CBS News
a day ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Transcript: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," June 1, 2025
The following is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat of Illinois, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on June 1, 2025. MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, that's Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. He's in Illinois. Good morning to you. I want to get-- REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: --Good morning. MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to get straight to it. You heard from the Secretary of State this week that the State Department is going to work with Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. There are like 300,000 Chinese students with visas in this country. The U.S. government already has a heightened level of vetting. What's going to change? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: I don't know. There's not enough details, but what it looks like if they're targeting all people of Chinese origin who are on international student visas because he's not limiting it to just people who might have ties to the Chinese Communist Party, and if they do have those ties, they don't belong here, especially if they're committing nefarious acts. However, this appears to be much broader and it's terribly misguided and it appears prejudicial and discriminatory. My own father was, came here on an international student visa. And I believe that these people are vital for our economy and for entrepreneurship in this country. And I think this is going to harm America more than help. MARGARET BRENNAN: You said if someone has ties to the Chinese Communist Party they shouldn't be here. Does that mean all the, the students who are children of leaders, for example Xi Jinping's own daughter, shouldn't have been allowed here? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, if they were engaged in nefarious activities and if they are somehow deeply connected to the CCP, I think that we should be very careful. But in this particular case, they're not only going after people who might fall in that category, but it's anybody who is from China, including Hong Kong by the way, where people are actually persecuted for various freedoms they're trying to exercise, and who come here seeking to exercise those freedoms. So this is a terrible, terribly misguided policy. MARGARET BRENNAN: The Biden administration did conduct heightened vetting, as you know, of Chinese students. Do you think that there is a legitimate argument for expanding this, that certain areas should just be off limits? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: I think that you should definitely have heightened vetting, especially in certain critical areas because we know that the CCP tries to steal, for instance, intellectual property or worse. But the way that this is currently structured looks very, very suspicious and you have to remember that the people that are cheering for this policy, what Marco Rubio had called for, is the Chinese Communist Party. Why? Because they want these people back. They want the scientists and the entrepreneurs and the engineers who can come and help their economy. And so we are probably helping them, as well as other countries, more than helping ourselves with this policy. MARGARET BRENNAN: The Defense Secretary is traveling in Asia right now and he said in a defense forum speech that Beijing is quote "concretely and credibly preparing to use military force." He said their military is rehearsing. Take a listen. PETE HEGSETH: Any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world. There's no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent. MARGARET BRENNAN: He did not say what the consequences would be. Are you encouraged by what appears to be a statement of support for allies? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: I am. I think what he's saying is largely correct, but I think the problem is at the same time he says that, either Donald Trump or even him or others say other things that push away our friends, partners and allies in the region and cause confusion. And so we need to be consistent and thoughtful with regard to our statements, and we need to be also very methodical about our actions in trying to curb military aggression by the Chinese Communist Party in the South China Sea and with regard to Taiwan. MARGARET BRENNAN: Since you track U.S. intelligence, I wanted to ask you if you have any insight into what appears to be the swarm of Ukrainian drones that has destroyed 40 Russian military aircraft deep inside Russian territory overnight. Sources are telling our Jennifer Jacobs that the White House wasn't aware that this attack was planned. What can you tell us about the level of US intelligence sharing with Ukraine right now and helping them with their targets? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: I don't want to get into classified information, but what I can say is that it's a little bit more strained in light of what Donald Trump has said recently. The one thing that I can also say is that Trump was right the other day to say that Putin is crazy in the way that he's going after civilian areas in Ukraine repeatedly, and so the Ukrainians are striking back. At the end of the day, the only way that we can bring these hostilities to an end is by strengthening the hand of the Ukrainians. Trump should, at this point, realize that Putin is playing him and aid the Ukrainians in their battlefield efforts. That's the best way to get to some type of armistice or truce at the negotiating table sooner rather than later. MARGARET BRENNAN: All right, Congressman Krishnamoorthi thank you for your insights today.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Many international students hope to launch careers in the US. Their pathways may dim under Trump
WASHINGTON — Since coming from China as a teenager for boarding school, Bob Zeng has imagined building a career in the United States. But as he prepared to graduate Thursday from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it felt like the last chapter of his life in America. Zeng said he has been rethinking his plans because of the Trump administration's pledge to aggressively revoke the visas of Chinese students. Having completed a masters degree in science and management, he is thinking about moving to Europe. Or going home to China.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
The US academic partnership with China, under strain for years, faces its biggest threat
Frayed by tariff wars and political battles, the academic ties between the U.S. and China are now facing their greatest threat yet as the Trump administration promises to revoke visas for an unknown number of Chinese students and tighten future visa screening. In a brief statement Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will 'aggressively' revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Community Party or studying 'critical fields.' Rubio's statement threatened to widen a chasm between the two nations, building on a yearslong Republican campaign to rid U.S. campuses of Chinese influence and insulate America's research from its strongest economic and military competitor. Rubio's announcement has rattled Chinese students and drawn swift condemnation from the Chinese government and some U.S. lawmakers. It also raised alarm at U.S. campuses that host more than 275,000 students from China and benefit from their tuition payments. Chinese graduate student Kesong Cao, 26, decided to abandon his studies in the U.S. because of Trump's policies. 'I do not feel welcome anymore,' said Cao, a student of cognitive psychology at the University of Wisconsin, who was waiting at Seattle airport Thursday to board a flight home to China. Cao spent eight years in the U.S. and once dreamed of staying as a professor. 'Now it seems like that dream is falling apart,' he said. 'It's a good time to jump ship and think about what I can give back to my own country.' The scope of the visa crackdown wasn't immediately clear, with no explanation on what would constitute ties to the Communist Party. But the impact could be significant if the government goes after any student with family members in the party, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center. Academic ties with China were built over decades Academic leaders in the U.S. have spent years trying to tamp down growing hostility against Chinese students and scholars, saying the benefits of the relationship outweigh the risks. Collaboration between the countries produces tens of thousands of scientific papers a year, yielding major advancements in fields from earthquake prediction to disease treatment. The academic alliance has been built up over decades since both sides resumed diplomatic ties in the 1970s. Chinese researchers are the most frequent international co-authors for U.S. researchers in science and engineering journal articles. Both sides are research powerhouses. Any move that prevents the U.S. from welcoming the smartest people in the world is an 'extremely bad idea,' said L. Rafael Reif, a former president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who pushed back against anti-China sentiment during President Donald Trump 's first term. 'This administration will be known historically as the one that began the decline of the U.S. by completely failing to understand the importance of science and technology — and the importance of gathering the most talented human capital from the world to work together towards a thriving United States,' Reif said in a statement to The Associated Press. During his first term, Trump shortened the visas of some Chinese graduate students from five years to one, and he signed an order barring Chinese students from schools with direct links to the People's Liberation Army. More recently, the administration has taken sweeping action against international students. It revoked the legal status for thousands of foreign students in the U.S. this spring before reversing itself. The administration is also trying to block Harvard from enrolling for students, a move put on hold by a judge. David Lampton, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University, is worried the U.S. will lose talent. 'American universities and society have always successfully relied on their single-minded search for the world's best brains,' he said. Yet critics say it's a lopsided relationship that primarily benefits China. Some conservatives say the exchanges are a US security risk A State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, told reporters Thursday that the U.S. "will not tolerate the CCP's exploitation of U.S universities or theft of U.S. research, intellectual property or technologies to grow its military power, conduct intelligence collection or repress voices of opposition.' House Republicans issued a report last year finding that hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding has gone toward research that ultimately boosted Chinese advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and nuclear weapons. The report argued China's academic collaborations served as 'Trojan horses for technology transfer,' accusing China of 'insidious' exploitation of academic cooperation. At least three American schools have ended their partnerships in China, including the University of Michigan and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Eastern Michigan University was the latest to terminate a Chinese partnership, just hours before Rubio's announcement. Earlier this month, Michigan GOP Reps. John Moolenaar and Tim Walberg wrote to Duke University demanding the school end its campus in China, which was created in a partnership with Wuhan University. The lawmakers raised concerns that the Chinese university has links to the Chinese military, including cyber warfare and satellite tracking. Critics also point to the imbalance in student exchange — only a few hundred U.S. students study abroad in China a year, compared to about 370,000 from China who studied in the U.S. in 2018. President Xi Jinping in 2023 launched a campaign to invite 50,000 young Americans to visit China on exchange and study programs. U.S. universities themselves have come to rely on Chinese students. Even as numbers level off, Chinese students remain the second-largest group of international students in the U.S. behind those from India. Foreign students are typically charged higher tuition rates, subsidizing the education for American students. Gary Locke, a former U.S. ambassador to China, said the visa policy would 'adversely and profoundly' affect U.S. higher education, research institutions, scientific discovery and startups. 'The real story isn't just about visa numbers — it's also about how this changes the competitive landscape for talent, innovation and economic growth in America. Treating every Chinese student as a security threat distorts facts and fuels discrimination against Chinese Americans,' said Locke, now chair of Committee of 100, a group of prominent Chinese Americans focused on U.S.-China relations and issued faced by Chinese citizens in the U.S. ___ Associated Press writers Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco, Matthew Lee in Washington, and Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
China hits out at ‘discriminatory' student visa ban and says it will further harm US image
Beijing has condemned the US decision to target Chinese students studying in the country as 'discriminatory', warning it will further damage America's image on the world stage. Advertisement The State Department has already announced a series of measures targeting international students – including a freeze on new visa interviews for those hoping to study in the US – but the latest measures announced on Wednesday singled out Chinese nationals. On Wednesday US time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would start 'aggressively' revoking visas issued to Chinese students including those 'with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields'. 'We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong,' he added. On Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said: 'The unreasonable decision to revoke the visas of Chinese students under the pretext of ideology and national security seriously harms the lawful rights and interests of Chinese students and disrupts exchanges between us. Advertisement 'Such a politicised and discriminatory move lays bare the US lie of its so-called freedom and openness and will only further undermine its image in the world and national reputation.'
Fox News
4 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
The President Moves To Pause Student Visas
The Trump administration's fight with Harvard University intensified after his State Department announced they have temporarily suspended new foreign visa applications. Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the move is geared to address Harvard's failure to respond to antisemitism on campus and prevent the arrival of more students who could 'foment hatred against the Jewish community.' After a federal judge blocked this Trump policy, George Washington University Law Professor and FOX News Contributor Jonathan Turley joins to simplify how national security, free speech, and the economy factor into this legal case. In less than two weeks, New Jersey voters will determine which candidates for governor will appear on the ballot in November. Last year, former President Donald Trump came within six percent of winning the Garden State, highlighting its shift toward the right. Former New Jersey Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli joins the Rundown to discuss his decision to run for governor again after losing to Governor Phil Murphy (D) in 2021. Plus, commentary from the host of 'Tomi Lahren is Fearless on Outkick,' Tomi Lahren. Photo Credit: AP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
