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U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday publicly defended his administration’s attempt to block foreign students from attending Harvard University, despite a judge’s swift suspension of the controversial measure.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump questioned why Harvard, which he claims receives “BILLIONS OF DOLLARS” in federal funding, enrols a significant number of foreign students, asserting that nearly 31% of its student body is from “FOREIGN LANDS.”
He demanded to know the identities of these students, arguing that their home countries, “some not at all friendly to the United States,” contribute nothing to their education.
The controversy began when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday moved to revoke Harvard’s authority to enrol foreign nationals, a move she had threatened last month unless the university provided records on visa holders’ “illegal and violent activities.”
However, a judge quickly intervened, suspending the action after Harvard sued, labelling it “arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unconstitutional.”
This incident is part of a broader White House crackdown on US universities. The administration justifies these actions by citing what it describes as uncontrolled anti-Semitism and the need to reverse diversity programs.
Additionally, the administration has moved to revoke visas and deport foreign students involved in Gaza war protests, accusing them of supporting Hamas.
The government has also targeted Harvard financially, threatening to review $9 billion in funding and freezing an initial tranche of $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in official contracts.
A Harvard Medical School researcher has also been targeted for deportation.
The potential loss of international students, who constitute over a quarter of Harvard’s student body and pay substantial tuition fees, could be financially devastating for the university, which boasts a $53.2 billion endowment.
