President Trump has demanded Harvard University reduce its international student enrollment to approximately 15% while threatening to withhold $3 billion in federal funding unless the institution discloses foreign student records. At a May 28 White House briefing, Trump alleged that 31% of Harvard’s student body comes from overseas, including potential “troublemakers” influenced by “radical left-wing lunatics.”
Funding Battle Intensifies
The ultimatum follows successive funding reductions totaling $517 million since April, when Harvard rejected administration demands to overhaul its governance and admissions policies. Trump specifically targeted the university’s $2.2 billion multi-year grants and $60 million contracts, with a new proposal to reallocate funds to vocational schools nationwide if compliance isn’t met.
Broader Higher Education Crackdown
Harvard’s current international enrollment stands at 6,800 students from 140 countries, predominantly in graduate programs. The administration’s campaign against elite universities combines immigration restrictions with ideological mandates, including eradicating campus antisemitism and dismantling diversity initiatives. Political analysts note the focus on Harvard reflects Republican views of Ivy League institutions as liberal strongholds, with the foreign student debate becoming a proxy for broader cultural battles over American higher education.
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