U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Harvard University to disclose the names and home countries of its international students. The demand comes after a federal judge blocked the administration’s attempt to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students.
In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump wrote, “We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard billions of dollars, but Harvard isn’t exactly forthcoming. We want those names and countries.”
He continued, “Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31 percent of their students are from foreign lands, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay nothing toward their students’ education, nor do they ever intend to. Nobody told us that!”
Trump also urged the Ivy League institution to stop applying for further federal funding.
Earlier in the week, the Department of Homeland Security announced plans to revoke Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification. This move would have prevented the university from admitting international students, forcing current international students to transfer or risk losing their legal status.
Harvard responded by filing a lawsuit against the administration. On Friday, a federal judge in Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order, preventing the government from enforcing the ban until a full hearing can take place.
As of the fall 2023 semester, international students make up over 27 percent of Harvard’s total enrollment. Nearly 6,800 international students and scholars from more than 140 countries and regions are currently pursuing studies at the university, with the majority engaged in graduate-level programs.
International students represent a significant source of cultural diversity and revenue for U.S. higher education institutions.
