Trump Claims HBCUs Would “Go Out of Business” Without Chinese Students — Community Calls It Inaccurate, Dismissive, and Racially Coded
Written by b87fm on 11/15/2025
Former President Donald Trump is catching heat after suggesting that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) depend on Chinese student enrollment to stay afloat — a claim many community voices are calling inaccurate, dismissive, and racially coded.
During a Monday night interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham (Nov. 10), Trump argued that the U.S. college system would crumble if international enrollment dropped, singling out HBCUs in the process.
“We do have a lot of people coming in from China,” he said. “We also have a massive system of colleges and universities, and if we were to cut that in half… You would have half the colleges in the United States go out of business.”
He doubled down, adding, “You would have the historically Black colleges and universities all be out of business.”
Trump says that HBCUs would be “all be out of business” if fewer Chinese students were allowed to go to American universities pic.twitter.com/QWCtipwVcH
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 11, 2025
But the data tells a different story.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, non-Black students made up 24% of HBCU enrollment in 2022 — up from 15% in 1976 — but the majority of students across HBCU campuses are still overwhelmingly Black. Pew Research Center found that in 2022, more than 80% of students at 65 of the 99 HBCUs were Black, reinforcing the fact that HBCUs continue to serve their core community.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration recently announced a historic boost in funding: an additional $495 million for HBCUs and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), bringing total federal support for HBCUs in FY 2025 to more than $1.34 billion.
And across social media, people aren’t buying Trump’s take.
One user on X questioned the logic bluntly:
“Since when did HBCUs rely on Chinese students??? FBA would be having wall-to-wall spaces if Biden said we need immigrant students.”
Since when did HBCUs rely on Chinese students ??? FBA would be having wall
To wall spaces if Biden said we need immigrant students … https://t.co/4BbQQvc1xN— CJ G (@cjgproduxions) November 11, 2025
Another echoed the disbelief:
“Historically Black Colleges and Universities relying on Chinese students???”
Others called Trump’s remarks racially coded. One user wrote:
“This is so insanely racist. First he is trying to pit Black ppl against Chinese students… But even more insidious… he thinks Black ppl go to HBCUs because we can’t get into PWIs. This is sick.”
Community reaction is clear: HBCUs were built by and for Black students, have survived centuries of structural obstacles, and continue to thrive — with or without Trump’s spin.
