President Donald Trump delivered a sharp rebuke to Harvard University on Sunday, accusing the Ivy League institution of shielding details about its foreign student population while accepting billions in federal funding. His comments come amid escalating tensions between the university and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over foreign student visa oversight and campus antisemitism.
“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. Nobody told us that!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Last week, DHS blocked Harvard from enrolling new foreign students after the university failed to comply with requests to identify visa holders who had allegedly engaged in illegal or violent behavior. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the decision, citing national security and campus safety concerns.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said. “Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law.”
Harvard currently enrolls about 6,800 foreign students, or over 27% of its student body. The Trump administration argues that transparency regarding those students’ countries of origin is essential given Harvard’s dependence on taxpayer support.
“We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS,” Trump continued. “We want those names and countries. Harvard has $52,000,000, use it, and stop asking for the Federal Government to continue GRANTING money to you!”
Harvard filed a lawsuit against the federal government on Friday, claiming the move was politically motivated retaliation. “It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students,” the complaint states.
Trump doubled down in his post, demanding fiscal accountability and public transparency. “Use your own money. Stop relying on the American taxpayer,” he wrote.
