Trump defends blocking Harvard’s foreign students amid legal challenge

President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his administration’s decision to block Harvard University from enrolling international students amid claims of the school’s coordination with the Chinese Communist Party, among other allegations.

“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,” Trump wrote in part on Truth Social.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification on Thursday, saying the university had failed to provide requested records on “criminality and misconduct” of its foreign students.

It also accused Harvard of creating an “unsafe campus environment by permitting anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to attack others, including Jewish students, as well as engaging in “coordinated activity with the CCP, including hosting and training members of a CCP paramilitary group complicit in the Uyghur genocide.”

The measure affects roughly 6,800 international students who must now transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal status.

China responds: China has condemned the move, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning saying the U.S. “will undoubtedly hurt its own image and reputation in the world” and pledging that Beijing “will firmly protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars overseas.”

Meanwhile, Hong Kong and Macao authorities have offered support, with Hong Kong University of Science and Technology providing “unconditional offers, streamlined admission procedures and academic support” to affected students.

Broader implications: The policy creates uncertainty in the international education community, with experts warning of long-term damage to the U.S.’ ability to attract global talent. Last month, the Trump administration canceled $2.7 million in grants and threatened to review $9 billion in funding to Harvard. Former university President Lawrence Summers called the latest decision “madness,” warning it could alienate future leaders.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the policy for two weeks, giving Harvard time to pursue its lawsuit challenging the administration’s actions as unconstitutional.