The administration of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, revoked on Thursday Harvard’s right to register foreign students, more than a quarter of his annual registration, in a great escalation of the president’s struggle with one of the most historical universities in the world.
Trump is furious with Harvard, who has produced 162 winners of the Nobel Prize, for rejecting his demand that he undergoes the supervision of admission and hiring about his statements that it is a seedbed of antisemitism and the liberal ideology “awakens.”
“From the immediately, the certification of the Visitors Program for Students and Exchange Visitors of Harvard University (Sevis) is revoked,” wrote National Security Kristi Noem in a letter to the institution of the IVY League, referring to the main system by which foreign students are allowed to study in the United States.
Last month, Trump threatened to prevent Harvard from registering foreign students if he did not agree with the demands of the government that put the private institution under external political supervision.
“As I explained in my April letter, it is a privilege to register foreign students,” Noem wrote.
“All universities must meet the requirements of the National Security Department, including report requirements under the regulations of the student and exchange visiting program, to maintain this privilege,” he said.
“As a result of its refusal to comply with multiple applications to provide relevant information from the National Security Department while perpetuating an insecure campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, it promotes pro-hamas sympathy and uses racist diversity, equity and inclusion, has lost this privilege.”
According to university data, more than 27 percent of Harvard’s registration was composed of foreign students in academic year 2024-25, according to university data.
Harvard did not respond immediately to a comment request.
