President Donald Trump has criticized Harvard University for enrolling a significant number of international students without financial contributions from their home countries. In a Truth Social post, Trump stated, “Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their student’s education, nor do they ever intend to.”
Trump further demanded that Harvard disclose the identities and nationalities of its foreign students, arguing that such transparency is warranted given the substantial federal funding the university receives. He emphasized, “We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.”
In response to these concerns, the Department of Homeland Security recently revoked Harvard’s certification to enroll international students, citing the university’s refusal to provide requested information about foreign students’ activities. Harvard has filed a lawsuit challenging this decision, claiming it violates constitutional protections.
Harvard reports that international students comprise approximately 27% of its student body, totaling around 6,800 individuals. While these students are generally ineligible for federal aid, Harvard offers financial assistance to international students on the same basis as domestic students.
