U.S. President Donald Trump has defended his administration’s attempt to stop Harvard University from enrolling international students, after a federal court put a temporary hold on the decision.
In a post shared on his Truth Social account on Sunday, Trump took aim at the varsity, criticising the school for having nearly 31 per cent of its students come from abroad, while offering little financial transparency.
“We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard billions of dollars, but Harvard isn’t exactly forthcoming,” Trump wrote.
The controversy stems from a recent move by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who revoked the university’s authority to admit international students. She had accused the institution of failing to disclose details about student visa holders allegedly connected to unlawful or violent behaviour. Noem had warned that failure to comply would bring consequences.
Harvard respond
In response, the school filed a lawsuit, calling the government’s actions “arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unconstitutional.” A federal judge responded by suspending the administration’s directive, allowing Harvard to continue admitting international students for now.
The situation is part of a larger crackdown by the Trump administration on higher education institutions. Officials have cited rising concerns over anti-Semitism and what they describe as overreliance on diversity initiatives. Authorities have also moved to revoke visas and deport foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, alleging ties to Hamas.
The dispute has been further intensified by the administration’s recent financial actions. Last month, $2.2 billion in federal funds allocated to the school were frozen, and the Department of Education has since threatened to halt all research grants to the university.
As the legal standoff continues, it has drawn widespread debate over academic independence, national security, and the role of foreign students in American higher education.
