President orders visa suspensions amid claims of radicalism and foreign influence, sparking fierce backlash from the prestigious university.
In a stunning escalation of hostilities with Harvard University, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered a six-month suspension on foreign nationals seeking to study or join exchange programs at the Ivy League institution—citing national security risks and alleged “entanglements with foreign adversaries.”
The White House proclamation accuses Harvard of maintaining “deep foreign ties,” including links to China, harboring campus radicalism, and failing to report dangerous activity by international students. It further claims a “drastic rise in crime” on campus has gone unchecked.
Harvard slammed the move as “yet another illegal retaliatory step” and vowed to shield its international students. “This violates our First Amendment rights,” the university declared.
The suspension, which could be extended, also directs the State Department to consider revoking the visas of current Harvard students deemed a threat under the order. A classified cable seen by Reuters revealed consular officials have been instructed to intensify vetting of all Harvard-bound visa applicants.
The decision comes just days after a federal judge in Boston prepared to block the government from stripping Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students. It also follows a blitz of federal pressure: threats to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status, frozen funding, and a failed attempt by Homeland Security to terminate its international student program.
Harvard has filed multiple lawsuits, accusing the Trump administration of waging a political vendetta for its refusal to bow to demands over curriculum, governance, and academic freedom.
As legal battles intensify, Harvard remains defiant. But for now, international scholars are caught in the crossfire of a high-stakes political war.