Foreign Policy

Sen. Kennedy: CCP Sends Students to Spy, Not Study

Published

May 29, 2025

Louisiana Senator John Kennedy didn’t hold back in his support for the Trump administration’s new move to revoke visas for Chinese students tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In a segment of The Ingraham Angle, Kennedy responded to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s announcement that the U.S. will begin stripping visas from Chinese nationals connected to the CCP or studying in sensitive American industries.

“I welcome international students,” Kennedy said. “But I don’t welcome those who come here and break the law. And I don’t welcome students who threaten our national security.”

He warned that the CCP has a long record of sending students to the U.S. with ulterior motives. According to Kennedy, “The Chinese Communist Party has a horrific record of sending students to America to do that. And we do need to be careful.”

“They Hate America”

Kennedy also called on elite universities to take more responsibility. “It would be nice if some of our universities, like Harvard, would help us screen these students rather than contribute to the problem,” he said.

He pushed back on claims that the visa revocations are about discrimination. “The simple fact of the matter is this has nothing to do with diversity or inclusion,” Kennedy explained. “The Chinese Communist Party will steal the hair off your head, and they hate America. They think America is in decline. They think that all we do is sit around all day and debate whether a mother should be called a birthing person.”

His comments reflected deep concerns that China exploits American higher education to gather intelligence and shape policy through long-term influence campaigns.

Tariff Authority and Judicial Overreach

Later in the segment, Kennedy reacted to breaking news that a federal court had blocked President Trump’s tariffs. The ruling claimed Trump overstepped his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

“You mean that a federal judge has intervened with the other two branches’ ability to make policy? I’m shocked,” Kennedy said with sarcasm. “That hasn’t happened since yesterday—or five minutes ago.”

He believes the ruling will be overturned. “It’s pretty clear that the president has tariff authority. Congress gave it to him. You can debate whether that was prudent, but the authority is there.”

Kennedy ended with a warning about the long-term risks of judicial activism. “Those who oppose the executive branch and the legislative branch and run to the courts will eventually dig up more snakes than they can kill.”

In just a few short minutes, Kennedy made clear that protecting national security means more than rhetoric. It means action—on visas, on trade, and on reining in institutions that seem determined to undermine American strength.