President Donald Trump is escalating his push against Harvard University, demanding the “names and countries” of all international students currently enrolled. The request, made via Truth Social on May 25, follows a federal judge’s decision to temporarily block the administration’s effort to bar the university from enrolling foreign students on visas.
In his post, Trump claimed the request was “reasonable” given the federal funding Harvard receives, though he did not clarify how the data would be used or which agency would manage it. According to USA Today, the demand comes days after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned Harvard its participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program was being revoked “effective immediately.”
This crackdown has drawn strong backlash from university officials and legal experts, with Harvard asserting that the actions violate constitutional protections and jeopardize student rights.
The conflict has thrown a spotlight on the role of foreign students in US higher education—and the political tensions surrounding elite institutions.
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