Washington– Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called for a cap on the number of international students at Harvard University, proposing a limit of approximately 15 percent. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump criticized the current figure — around 31 percent — and demanded the university release a list of its foreign enrollees.
“Harvard has to show us their lists,” Trump said. “They have foreign students — about 31 percent of their students are foreign-based. We want to know where those students come from. Are they troublemakers?”
Trump suggested that many international students were influenced by “radical left lunatics” and claimed their presence was preventing American students from gaining admission to elite institutions. “I think they should have a cap of maybe around 15 percent, not 31 percent. We have people who want to go to Harvard and other schools who can’t get in because we have foreign students there,” he added.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has intensified pressure on U.S. universities, particularly targeting institutions like Harvard. His administration has threatened funding cuts for universities that fail to comply with its demands, which include eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and cracking down on campus antisemitism.
Harvard, which is currently facing multiple federal investigations, has seen its federal funding frozen and its tax-exempt status questioned — placing the prestigious institution in an unprecedented crisis. On May 22, the Department of Homeland Security revoked Harvard’s eligibility for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effectively barring the university from enrolling new international students under the program.
In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit against the federal government. A Massachusetts federal judge temporarily blocked the enforcement of the DHS order, and a court hearing on the matter was scheduled for May 29. This legal battle follows an earlier lawsuit filed by Harvard challenging cuts to federal funding.
According to Harvard’s own data, as of fall 2023, international students comprised more than 27 percent of the student body. The university currently enrolls nearly 6,800 international students and scholars from over 140 countries and regions, with the majority pursuing graduate-level education. (Source: IANS)
