Donald Trump has demanded the “names and countries” of all international students currently enrolled at Harvard University, escalating his administration’s conflict with the Ivy League institution. The request came via a May 25 post on Truth Social, just days after a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration’s attempt to bar Harvard from accepting students on U.S. visas.
“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,” Trump wrote. However, he did not clarify how the information would be used or which agency would handle it.
A White House spokesperson said the president simply wants transparency in exchange for the significant federal funding Harvard receives.
The demand follows a letter from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announcing Harvard’s immediate removal from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which is required for schools hosting international students. That prompted Harvard to sue, calling the decision unconstitutional. A federal judge agreed, issuing a temporary block and stating the policy would cause “immediate and irreparable injury” to the university.
This move is part of a broader push by Trump against elite universities, particularly around issues of campus antisemitism and diversity programs. He also criticized Harvard’s $53 billion endowment, accusing the school of relying too heavily on federal funds and urging it to “use its own money.”
