New Jersey [US], May 26 (ANI): U.S. President Donald Trump voiced fresh criticisms of Harvard University on Sunday, highlighting multiple areas of concern with the institution, including its international student body, lack of transparency, and alleged antisemitism.
Speaking to media representatives, Trump remarked, “Part of the problem with Harvard is that there are about 31 percent of foreigners coming to Harvard. We give them billions of dollars, which is ridiculous. We do grants, which we’re probably not going to be doing much anymore to Harvard. But they are 31 percent, but they refuse to tell us who the people are. We want to know who the people [are].”
Trump asserted that the high proportion of foreign students limits educational opportunities for American citizens. “Now, a lot of the foreign students we wouldn’t have a problem with, but it shouldn’t be 31 percent. It’s too much because we have Americans that want to go there and to other places, and they can’t go there because you have 31 percent foreign. Now, no foreign government contributes money to Harvard, we do. So why are they doing so many?”
He went on to list three major concerns. First was the presence of a large foreign student population, which he claimed comes without proper accountability. “We want a list of those foreign students, and we’ll find out whether or not they’re okay. Many will be okay, I assume. And I assume with Harvard, many will be bad,” Trump said.
The second issue he raised pertained to transparency and background checks for international students. And third, he sharply criticized what he described as the university’s tolerance of antisemitism. “Then the other thing is they’re very anti-Semitic. Everybody knows they’re anti-Semitic. And that’s got to stop immediately,” he added.
Tensions between Harvard University and the Trump administration have been simmering for months. The administration has accused Harvard of fostering antisemitism on campus and criticized its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, labeling them as “racist.” Officials have also scrutinized foreign students and staff, asserting their involvement in recent campus protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
CNN reported that a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s recent ban on Harvard’s enrollment of international students, following a legal challenge from the university. Harvard argued in court that the revocation of its certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program amounted to “clear retaliation” for rejecting the administration’s ideologically driven policy demands.
On Saturday, Trump doubled down on his criticism, saying, “Billions of dollars have been paid to Harvard. How ridiculous is that?… And they have USD 52 billion as an endowment… Harvard’s going to have to change its ways.”
The White House echoed Trump’s position on Thursday, stating, “Enrolling foreign students is a privilege, not a right,” and accusing Harvard’s leadership of transforming the university into “a hot-bed of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist agitators.” (ANI)
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